I’m Nathalie Dufault, an administrative assistant at BATH FITTER. I’m so proud to work for a company that gives back to the community. It might sound cliché, but our children are our future, so I’m especially proud of BATH FITTER’s past three years as supporters of a very worthy charitable organization, Opération Enfant Soleil (OES).

The reason BATH FITTER employees have come together to give to OES is very simple. OES is an organization that cares for children and works to improve their quality of life, be it physically, mentally, or socially. Among other initiatives, OES takes funds received and distributes them to local children’s hospitals so that sick children can get the care they need. What I really like about OES is that they distribute funds to not just one, but many organizations that aim to help children and youth in need, i.e. hospitals, youth centers, etc. They like to spread the wealth!

As a mom who’s experienced what it’s like to have a sick child, I very much appreciate the work OES does. Often, we don’t realize how important these resources are until our own children are faced with health problems. My heart goes out to every single child who is, or has ever been sick. I experienced it first hand when my son, at the age of four, came down with scarlet fever. He got the care he needed and recovered. This experience has made OES a charity that is very close to my heart.

Every year for the past three years we’ve been donating funds to OES – and these sums wouldn’t have been reached without everyone at BATH FITTER coming together to give. Each year the total amount we accumulate increases – I guess generosity is catching! This year, even some of the local BATH FITTER franchises caught the bug and donated. When I think about all the good people who work at BATH FITTER and their generosity, it makes me so happy!

Periodically, throughout the year at BATH FITTER, we hold mini fundraisers to increase our set annual donation. For example, we recently held a staff BBQ and invited employees to buy raffle tickets and play games, all in order to raise extra funds for OES. Everybody had fun and we raised over $300 that day!

This year, our total donation to OES was $45,000.00, which is an incredible amount, and was achieved because so many of us at BATH FITTER care and want to help. The amount is a combination of employee contributions paired with what BATH FITTER gives, which is a match of those contributions. We’re aiming to get that number up to $50,000.00 for next year. At the annual OES telethon on the TVA network on June 6, 2010, my colleague Christian Côté, his son Benjamin and I presented the $45,000.00 check on behalf of BATH FITTER to OES. I felt incredibly proud to be there. Knowing we’re helping children live better lives is extremely heartwarming.

To find out more about Opération Enfant Soleil and the wonderful work they do, please visit the website: www.operationenfantsoleil.ca