For many years the citizens of Outlook have benefited from an efficient method of donating to multiple charities through a single transaction, thanks to the efforts of a small but dedicated team who organize Outlook Donors' Choice.
The name aptly describes the goal of the organization: give donors a choice in supporting the charities that matter most to them, and not have a continuous stream of canvassers coming to their door for various causes.
The system has been working well for many years as evidenced by a major fundraising milestone a few years ago when the organization announced they had reached a cumulative total of more than $1,000,000.00. That total keeps growing and now includes the $33, 686 given in 2021.
At their annual general meeting, Board members reviewed the 2021 fundraising drive and talked about the changes the organization continues to deal with brought on by the pandemic.
Previously, teams of canvassers would take donor forms to each house in town giving residents the opportunity to give to more than three dozen local, provincial and national charities and organizations. Outlook Donors' Choice then dispersed the donations to the designated recipients. The pandemic forced the group to get creative about how to canvas the town while being unable to visit each house.
A pivot to email contacts has proven to be very beneficial for the group. Donors could print off the form, select the charities they wanted to support, and take their donations to Prairie Centre Credit Union. A handful of phone calls and letters left in mailboxes supplemented the effort.
Chairperson John McPhail explained, “It’s rewarding to solve problems and overcome challenges. When COVID restrictions were put in place two years ago, the easiest course would have been to say that we would suspend the October Donors' Choice campaign and do nothing. Instead, the remarkable and creative people on the Board of Directors dug in their heels and found an efficient and effective way to use technology in order to conduct two successful campaigns in 2020 and 2021.”
Dorothea Pehl has been involved with Donors' Choice for more than 20 years. “I felt it was a very worthwhile organization and I was, and still am, happy to my volunteer my time." Not only did her efforts help raise funds but it was also a good way to get to know her neighborhood. “Before COVID hit, I really enjoyed going door-to-door on Christie Street, as it gave me a chance to visit with some of the neighbors on that street,” she said. But she is happy with the way the new system has evolved in the last two years. “The procedure we came up with due to COVID works extremely well,” Dorothea explained.
The need for fewer canvassers raises some questions as the group looks to the future. Having fewer people involved is perhaps a double-edged sword since it might change awareness within the community. Secretary/Treasurer Vivian Bothner remarked, "One thing we can be sure of is that the volunteers we have now are dedicated and do a good job.” To ensure that legacy continues, the Board is looking for ways to encourage new volunteers since it is such an important component of strong communities. McPhail, who has been involved with Donors' Choice for about seven years said, “I think it is important to be involved in your community—after all, that’s the difference between mediocre communities and remarkable communities.”
He said it takes the efforts of many to ensure organizations remain strong and that we each have roles to take on. “It’s important to recognize that other volunteers have done things to make your life better,” he explained. “Volunteering is simply a way of paying that debt. There will come a time for all of us when we can no longer volunteer. Therefore, it’s important that we look for opportunities to help others while we can.”
At the annual meeting McPhail mentioned there are 86,000 registered charities in Canada, some of which are not very charitable, meaning their administrative costs, promotion, salaries and other expenses eat up large chunks of the dollars Canadians donate each year. He pointed out it tends to make donors ‘a little bit gun shy’, but thankfully Outlook donors continue to support the many worthy causes that make up the Donors' Choice list.
McPhail said they run a low maintenance organization which he described as “bare bones.” Canvassers and Board members, a group of about 12 in total, operate with “very few expenses” thanks to the volunteer efforts that are offered each year. That includes a few canvassers as well as Chairperson John McPhail, Vice-Chair Donna Vavra, Secretary/Treasurer Vivian Bothner, and Directors Dorothea Pehl, Byrdie Zboril and Anna Simonson. With only three meetings per year, along with the October fundraising drive, it is not an onerous volunteer commitment but is most certainly one that has a direct impact on the community.
Outlook Donors' Choice is a small organization doing very big things. McPhail said donors and volunteers alike can take heart in knowing their generosity and effort has impacted countless individuals and families. “From a purely monetary perspective,” McPhail said, “since 1971 Outlook Donors’ Choice has collected $1.3 million for local and provincial or national charities. That’s no small feat for a community of just over 2,000 people. There is no way to measure exactly how that money has helped others, but it is obvious that many people have benefited from the work of Outlook Donors' Choice.”
