Yukon College employees tackle community work this week

WHITEHORSE – Cooking soup at Victoria Faulkner Women’s Shelter, cleaning up after Operation Nanook at the Takhini Arena, connecting with seniors at Copper Ridge Place, stocking shelves at the Whitehorse Food Bank, sorting garbage at Raven Recycling, and painting the fence at Hospice Yukon - these are some of the 20 community projects over 160 Yukon College employees will be undertaking for as part of their annual Fall Huddle this week.

“Last year everyone really enjoyed their work with community groups across the city,” said Margot Neely, college instructor and one of the event organizers.
“The overwhelming feedback from staff was ‘More!’ – More activities and more time to do them. So we have pushed lunch back by 45 minutes to give everyone more time at their placements and increased volunteer options from 12 to 20.”

Neely said placements have been chosen from last year’s hosts, those eager to have the college employees return, and fresh suggestions from college staff and faculty.

“It ultimately comes down to need, where we can do the most good, the tasks that are available, and who has the ability to handle a large group of people descending on them for a single morning,” said Neely. “Giving back to our community creates a wonderful burst of positive energy as we begin the new academic year and welcome our students.”

After lunch, 40 staff and faculty will receive long service, quality and excellence awards before the professional development day wraps up with a social event.

College employees will head out across the city beginning at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday August 21. All Yukon College campuses across the territory will be closed to the public that day.

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For more information, contact:

Michael Vernon
Communications Coordinator
College Relations
Yukon College
867 668 8786
867 332 4722
mvernon@yukoncollege.yk.ca