Born in Campbellton, New Brunswick, Rick joined Golder’s London, Ontario office in 1978, shortly after obtaining a Master’s Degree in Geotechnical Engineering from McGill University (Montréal). In addition to working as a geotechnical engineer, Rick’s career included a number of leadership roles. In 1989, he established the Montréal office. He oversaw Golder’s Canadian operations from 1996 until 1999, when he was appointed President of the global company.

Rick served as President of Golder’s global operations from 1999 to mid-2009, a time of tremendous growth and change for the company. In early 2000, Golder Associates was a 2,000-person operation with offices in 16 countries and gross annual revenues of $US 202 million. By the end of 2009, Golder had grown to become a 7,000-person operation with $US 882 million in gross annual revenues and a presence in 40 countries.

Rick’s legacy extends well beyond Golder’s financial performance. In his role as President of Golder’s Canadian operations, Rick responded to an issue identified in the company at the time: the need to invest in employees. Under his leadership, an internal training program was introduced that has since been adopted by operating companies across the Golder world.

In 2003, Rick co-founded The Golder Trust for Orphans, to provide support to children and families orphaned or displaced by the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Funded primarily from donations from employees and Golder’s operating companies, the Trust has raised over $US 1 million, which supports more than 1,000 children through funding provided to 11 projects in Africa.

Rick was well-liked and respected by employees and clients alike. He had a tremendous respect for the consulting profession, and had a great instinct for what would work (and what wouldn’t work) for Golder. He possessed the ability to connect with people at all levels and knew how to get people pulling in the same direction. He was a leader in the truest sense of the word and will be greatly missed by all those who knew him.

A dedicated family man, Rick is survived by his wife, France, and his two children, Nic and Elyse. In honour of Rick’s memory, a donation will be made to The Golder Trust for Orphans, a cause to which he was passionately committed.

To make a donation in memoriam of Rick Firlotte, please click here.

There is a certain pride in Isaac’s eyes as he speaks of his time at St. Joseph’s – it is clear that he takes his work there seriously and is immensely proud to be involved in many different activities. About 90 children make use of the different facilities provided at St. Joseph’s, ranging from an aftercare centre that children can visit after school, support and counselling sessions for groups and individuals, sporting activities – including the newly built jungle gym – and a choir. Most of the children who use these facilities have traumatic family histories, experiencing things that children should never have to experience, and find refuge within the protected and loving walls of St. Joseph’s.

And it is not only dreams that are being nurtured on the premises – one of the most important activities at St. Joseph’s is the communal vegetable garden, which was started with funding from the Golder Trust for Orphans. Started in 2008, a total of 7 foster parents work in the garden on a daily basis, growing vegetables for personal use, for sale at the local market and to facilitate a number of feeding schemes that are run by St. Joseph’s. Over 80 families have benefited from the vegetable garden – children who belong to the feeding schemes are given vegetables to take home to their families once a month, and these same children are even allocated small vegetable beds for themselves so that they can learn how to grow vegetables and help support their own families. The vegetable garden was initially developed to ensure the sound health and nutrition of the children, but has since grown into an income generating activity as well. Plans are underway to increase the size of the garden considerably so that more families will have access to the land. Investigations are being made on how to improve irrigation and also how to gain access to a tractor that will aid the preparation of the vegetable fields.

The work done at St. Joseph’s has had a major impact on the surrounding community – not only do people recognise the vital role they play in assisting orphans, but the effects have been felt for
all children. There have been huge improvements in welfare and nutrition, and there is an ever growing sense of camaraderie – people recognise the importance of standing together to work through their problems and with the services provided by St. Jospeh’s, children like Isaac finally have the chance to pursue their dreams and, in turn, make even greater contributions to their community.

For more information, visit www.sizanani.org

Documentary: Africa-Lewa Childrens Home from Chris Cannucciari on Vimeo.

Meet Sylvia. Sylvia is a single mother of three children; a daughter of her own and two other orphans whom she has looked after for the past 5 years. She lives in a small house in Haniville, a township located outside of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. She has limited formal education, no family support and very little opportunity to find a job.

If you had asked her three years ago what her biggest aspiration was, it would have been to find a job that would allow her to feed her children and send them to school, hopefully offering them a life better than her own. If you were to ask her the same question today, it would be radically different. Now, as the supervisor for a rose geranium production unit (funded by the Golder Trust for Orphans), she is making plans to send her daughter to law school, is finalizing the secondary education of both the orphans she cares for, is building two new rooms onto her house and is a source of inspiration for those that she meets.

Such is the magic of Walk in the Light, a catalyst for transformation in an often dark and hopeless world. Located on just over 10ha of land, Walk in the Light is a shining example of how a simple act of goodness can have a profound impact on the lives of those in need. Bruce Taylor, who started the operation more than 3 years ago, has facilitated the creation of nothing less than a haven. Walking through the rose geranium fields where sweet scents float on the air, or the vegetable gardens where the spinach is vibrant and the cabbages look like giant, beautiful roses with their great furling leaves, it is impossible not to feel the energy and love exuding from the land. This is the land that employs 6 women, all like Sylvia, who in turn support 16 orphans between them, and facilitates the production of food parcels that provide a vital source of food security to more than 18 families in the local community.

But this is only where it begins. With rose geranium currently under production, there are plans to purchase a small distillation unit that will enable the extraction of essential oils, to be used for sales within local markets. This provides opportunity for greater employment for local community members, and for the expansion of the orphan support base that has already begun.

In fact, it is the hope of helping the children that drives the whole operation. Work has begun on establishing a small crèche that will cater to the needs of often neglected children in the area, complete with bathrooms and a small kitchen, and one cannot help but laugh at the smiling elephant peering at you from its portrait on the outside walls. There is also a library, recycling bins, a jungle gym and even a climbing wall.

To be in the presence of such dedication and commitment to transforming lives is a humbling experience. It serves as a reminder to the desperate needs of so many people,
so many children abandoned to face a harsh world on their own. It also serves as an inspiration, through the realization that effort does make a difference and to see the joy on Sylvia’s face as she speaks of her life is true testimony to this. If ever there was a doubt that darkness and tribulation could be overcome, one only needs to spend an afternoon at Walk in the Light to be reinvigorated, and to see how dreams can be translated into action.

Picture:

1: Sylvia  2: Bruce Taylor and the local women involved in the geranium oils project  3: Painted wall at Walk in the Light  4: Vegetable garden at Walk in the Light

Employees from the Saskatoon office participated in a bottle drive in April. With the recycling from the office and from Golder’s employees bringing bottles from home, the office raised $340.02 for the Trust. 

Photo: Saskatoon staff take bottles to the recycle depot!