While many of our great GoodLife Kids Foundation ambassadors are in Clubs, our Home Office Associates continue to prove that they’re fully on board when it comes to raising money and awareness.
Two of these Associates are Cindy Chan and Lisa Cardinal, important members of the GoodLife family who pride themselves in their active participation with the foundation and Spin4Kids.
Cindy has been with GoodLife for 13 years, and though she now works in Talent Acquisition, she has previously worked as a Club Administrator and an Assistant General Manager. Newer to the GoodLife family, Lisa is nearing her three-year anniversary with the company as an ITS Portfolio Manager.
Away from their daily duties, Cindy and Lisa are committed to furthering the success of GoodLife Kids Foundation through promotion and fundraising, helping kids with special needs get active.
Cindy has worked with GoodLife Kids Foundation since the inception of Spin4Kids in 2012. She quickly became a leader for her Club and her city, helping to organize the London event by 2014. In subsequent years, and through a transition to Home Office, Cindy has continued to be a champion for the foundation and Spin4Kids, organizing a number of creative fundraising events, engaging corporate partners in the community, and even getting her oldest daughter to participate in the festivities.
Cindy says that it is the ability to provide opportunity that really makes GoodLife Kids Foundation important to her.
“I was always an athlete growing up, I was always playing team sports, and I was so lucky to have the opportunity to do those things,” says Cindy. “For me, being able to help extend those opportunities to children—especially those with special needs—that’s why I’m so committed to this cause.”
Lisa had a slightly different path to GoodLife, but it resulted in the same drive and passion for helping others that Cindy exudes.
Lisa came to GoodLife because of the company’s core values, and was intrigued by the fact that so many GoodLife Associates practiced these values each and every day. Originally earning a degree in teaching, Lisa has always had a love of working with children, but felt that the classroom setting was too structured. She recognized quickly that GoodLife Kids Foundation provided the perfect opportunity for her to interact with children in a less-structured environment, while still allowing her to help them learn and grow.
Lisa says that her favourite memory from her time helping with GoodLife Kids Foundation came from a trip to Boler Mountain in London, where she was able to see a Kids Foundation grant in action. The London Track 3 Ski School provides learn-to-ski and -snowboard programs to children and adults with physical, developmental, visual, and hearing challenges. A GoodLife Kids Foundation grant allowed the school to purchase new, more supportive equipment, and Lisa says it was great to see how the money could make a real impact.
“It’s a huge part of GoodLife’s mission—helping every Canadian live a fit and healthy good life—and it’s important that we open that up to kids who may not get to participate in every activity,” says Lisa. “It really speaks to me, it’s what I believe in, and it’s what we as Canadians should strive to do.”
GoodLife Kids Foundation ambassadors like Cindy and Lisa are incredibly important to the success of events like Spin4Kids and made major contributions to the $920,000 raised through Spin4Kids in 2018. If you or someone you know is committed to breaking down barriers and helping kids with special needs get active, share your story for a chance to be featured!