I have known Conor Topley for 5 years now and have had the pleasure of working with him on a number of occasions. He is currently traipsing around South America and headed off to find work in Europe in the near future. (This reminds me of my summer of 2007, but he’s doing the full year deal – impressive!) Today is his birthday and he asked his blog followers and Facebook friends to give him “the best birthday present ever.”
In short, the gift is simply to donate the money they would have spent on beer at the bar to 5 Days for the Homeless, an initiative that universities all over Canada are hosting this week where students sleep outside for 5 days with nothing more than the clothes on their back and a sleeping bag (which is more than some could say I’m sure). I have been following the students’ experience through their blogs, which has been quite interesting to read thus far.
Over the last 24hrs, Conor’s request has made my Facebook news feed so often that I began to ask why? Why this initiative? Why the popularity of the request? I came up with three simple answers:
- The issues surrounding homelessness have become very mainstream here in Vancouver and, to be frank, deserve our attention and energy in finding solutions. 5 Days for the Homeless raises both awareness and support for local initiatives around the country that are truly making a difference.
- It is easy. 5 Days for the Homeless made it easy for people to donate online and see how their contribution affects the local and national fundraising goals. Conor (and Facebook) made it easy for people to spread the word and rally more interest and support. If your message isn’t easy to spread – it won’t.
- And last, but certainly not least, it’s because Conor is truly a stand up guy! Genuine, hilarious, driven and diligent – he is a pleasure to be around, both at the boardroom table and at the bar. He has built quite the network for himself as a result. Some call him a networking fien, but I know first hand that he focuses more on building relationships than adding to his contact list. (I think that is why we get along so well). He truly adds value to people’s lives and, in return, they look for opportunities to do the same for him.
So, happy birthday Conor! You got the best birthday present from me (and many others). If you are reading this – please consider making a donation yourself to your local 5 Days for the Homeless effort. It’s an important cause that’s easy to donate to and backed by some incredible students and supporters!
Pick of the post: Marianas Trench – Celebrity Status (listen here)
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