Mark Deering is a Senior Geologist in the Canadian Business Unit at Vermilion Energy. For National Volunteer Week, Mark shares his experience volunteering for Wood’s Homes Impact Days, and how this work is important for not only himself but his colleagues and company as a whole.
Why is giving back to the community important to Vermillion Energy?
From my first day at Vermilion, it was apparent that giving back to the community is important. This stemmed from long seeded values and beliefs of Vermilion’s founders, who believed that investing in the communities where employees worked and lived would result in a better society and a stronger company culture. These values continue to be important for Vermilion today.
How has volunteering at Wood’s Homes impacted your corporate culture?
Volunteering has been very positive for our corporate culture. Vermilion encourages giving back to our communities through charitable donations, volunteer grants and company sponsored days of caring. Each of those aspects are very impactful for the community; however, the days of caring make the largest positive influence in our corporate culture.
Employees organize a wide range of community volunteer activities from building and maintenance, cleaning up green spaces, planting trees, cooking meals, and collecting food donations, all the way to simple acts like spending time gardening and visiting with seniors at retirement facilities. The comradery when working together in the community can’t be manufactured. It’s built organically through hard work, caring and of course some good laughs! That feeling of giving back is powerful and rejuvenating. And the best part of it all is that it is contagious. The support Vermilion provides makes ripples in the community. Vermilion is an international company, and this mentality is highly valued in all of the countries and communities where our colleagues live and work.
Why does Vermilion Energy choose to volunteer at Woods Homes? Has there been any experience that stands out from any past Impact Days?
Vermilion Energy is a family first employer. If there is an issue with an employee or their family, they are there to support them through that time of need. Wood’s Homes has been taking that same approach since 1914. With this alignment in values, there is no surprise Vermilion would choose to support such critical care for children, adolescents, young adults and their families. Wood’s Homes provides an environment where families can remain together while individuals receive the treatment and support they need to aid in their recovery. This investment in the community provides invaluable returns for these families and society.
Vermilion has supported me in organizing and participating in group volunteer activities at Wood’s Homes facilities around Calgary. We have helped build and maintain new and existing buildings on their properties and done spring and fall clean ups on their grounds. These experiences have been rewarding, and the staff and families have shown us so much gratitude. It’s nice to know the support Vermilion and their employees provide, whether time or donations, helps make Wood’s Homes and the families they support stronger because we believe healthy, vibrant communities include all community members in their success.
If you are interested in learning more about our corporate volunteer opportunities, click here.
