NOWeek

May 1, 2006 - May 7, 2006

CHECK OUT NOWeek 2007 HERE!

National Organizing Week is an annual event sponsored by Professional Organizers in Canada (POC).  Since 2002, the first week of May has been declared National Organizing Week and POC partnered with a national charity. In 2003, the charity was Big Brothers Big Sisters, in 2004 the association joined forces with The Children's Wish Foundation and in 2005, POC partnered with the Ronald McDonald House Charities across Canada. 

NOWeek goals are two-fold:

• to give back to the community by supporting other non-profit organizations who can benefit from our organizing services; and
• to raise the Professional Organizers of Canada association profile - both locally and nationally.

This year, a total of 140 members of Professional Organizers in Canada offered their organizing expertise to the Canadian Red Cross and other charities across Canada. Below is a summary of activities by location for NOWeek 2006:

BRITISH COLUMBIA

• Victoria: Red Cross - Staff who subsequently attended The Reveal dubbed results as "awesome!" We were very pleased with ourselves for meeting this challenge and taking it far beyond Red Cross' expectations.
  Local Sponsor: Staples
  POC Contact: Stephanie Deakin
  
• Vancouver: Red Cross - Office Organizing, Professional Development Session focusing on filing systems.  Helping with some office relocations due to construction within building.
  POC Contact: Baljit Siekham
  
• Kelowna: Red Cross - Assisting with strategy for their upcoming move as well as pre-move office and storage room organizing. A local television station, CHBC, sent a crew to interview us.
  POC Contact: Linda Andersson
  
• Fort St John: North Peace Pregnancy Care Centre - Implementing a new filing system, creating forms, providing proper paper flow in the office; organize consulting for the main reception area and storage rooms.
  Local Sponsors: Hamilton Stationers Ltd., Fort St. John Pharmacy & Wellness Centre, Safeway Canada, Wal-Mart, Sew It Yourself Shop
  POC Contact: Bev Craig-Steele

ALBERTA

• Calgary: Red Cross - Organizing filing, organizing cubicles and storage spaces.
  Local Sponsor: 1-800-GOT-JUNK
  POC Contact: Bonnie Fraser
• Edmonton: Habitat for Humanity - Organizing reception area and 2 or 3 offices.
  POC Contact: Shelley Morrison
•  Lethbridge: Red Cross - Moving equipment in basement to an off-site storage site.
  POC Contact: Jackie Fiorino 

SASKATCHEWAN

• Saskatoon: Red Cross - Organizing front reception, 3 offices, resource library, storage area, 2 boardrooms, and recycling station.  Local television show, News at Noon, will be filming before and after pieces and is planning promotional activities.
  Local Sponsors: Habitat Re-Stores, Life in Balance, Windsor Plywood, Jastek Builders, 1-800-GOT-JUNK, Oakland Furniture, Smart Storage Solutions, Cynthia Block Communications, Art of Interior Redesign, Canadian Tire, Home Outfitters, Dollarama, Staples, Futureshop, Sobeys
  POC Contact: Peggy Finn
• Regina: Red Cross - Organizing boardroom, coffee room, and front entrance. 
  POC Contact: Theresa Fayant

MANITOBA

• Winnipeg: Red Cross - Two hour presentation for staff and volunteers on office organizing and time management.
  POC Contact: Morva Bowman

ONTARIO

• Toronto: Red Cross - Organizing supply room. 
  Local Sponsor: Solutions
  POC Contact: Cherri Hurst
• Mississauga: Red Cross - Organizing 5 office areas, warehouse, and main reception area.
  POC Contact: Wendy Hollick & Constance Wrigley-Thomas
• Milton: Red Cross - Organizing front office, storage area, kitchen and supply room.
  Local Sponsors: Whirlpool Canada, 1-800-GOT-JUNK
  POC Contact: Wendy Hollick & Constance Wrigley-Thomas
• Newmarket: Red Cross - Put up shelves, organize office, equipment room, first aid room, copy area and office supply cupboard.
  Local Sponsor: Solutions
  POC Contact: Cherri Hurst
• London: Red Cross - Organize Emergency Response Room with bins, labels, etc.
  POC Contact: Marcia Majoor
• Whitby: Charles H. Best Centre -  
  POC Contact: Patricia John, Nicole Wilkinson
• Guelph: Red Cross - Consolidate, organize and properly store all Disaster Services supplies in designated storeroom.  Sort and organize office stationery supplies.
  POC Contact: Deborah Truckle
• Waterloo: Red Cross - Setting up new office, bathroom and meeting room. 
  POC Contact: Deborah Truckle
• Ottawa:  Red Cross - Providing organizing services in several offices, reception area, back storage area and health care equipment rentals area.
  POC Contact: Gisele Grenier Miller  

QUEBEC

• Montreal: Sun Youth Charity - Organizing Fire Victims Clothing Store
  Local Sponsors: Accent Home Products, Label it Now, Terpac
  POC Contact: Catherine Doe
• Quebec City: YWCA
  Local Sponsor: Permafil, Corporate Express, Super centre de liquidation ABC, Bureau en Gros
  POC Contact: Michèle Paris
  

NEW BRUNSWICK

• Saint John:  Red Cross - Organizing storage and reception areas.
  Local Sponsors: Eastern Office Shop, All Garage Storage Solutions, UPS
  POC Contact: Erni Roy
• Moncton:  Red Cross - Running a "Messy Closet" contest in conjunction with local newspaper, the Times and Transcript, Canadaeast.com and JUNK Away.  Also doing "Organizing your Closet" session at the local Superstore with proceeds being donated to the local Red Cross.
  Local Sponsors: Superstore, Times and Transcript, Canadaeast.com, JUNK Away
  POC Contact: Annette Bourque, Kim Eagles

NOVA SCOTIA

• Halifax: Red Cross - Developing volunteer procedures for front desk, organizing reception area and library as well as space planning in new location.
  POC Contact: Lisa Lebrasseur
• Kentville: Red Cross - Organizing front reception area display, supply cupboard, and adding new shelving. 
  POC Contact: Judy Hilchie

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

• Saint John's: Red Cross - Speaking to staff about organizing and NOWeek.
  POC Contact: Jane Veldhoven