Calgarian’s Everest climb to benefit Handi-bus association

CALGARY – He swam the English Channel, but the shivering did him in.
“Sprained my upper hips. When you shiver, it’s your upper hips, under your groin that takes a big hit,” said
Calgarian Bill Borger, one of the few Canadians to cross the frigid body of water.
“I injured myself pretty badly on the English Channel and had to take seven months off,” he said of the swim in 2000.When he recovered, “I hit the pool and realized I’d probably never be as good as I was. So I decided to open a new chapter.” Borger took up climbing. After training for 10 years, read more …

Returning in 2011… CALGARY HANDIBUS ASSOCIATION 2ND ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT!

In August 2010 we hosted our first-ever charity golf tournament, raising over $30,000 towards the purchase of a new bus for the fleet. The weather cooperated, the course was superb, the meals were outstanding and the entire day was greatly enjoyed by all who participated. Indispensible to the success of this event were our many sponsors, whom we thank sincerely for their participation and support. In fact, our inaugural event was such a hit with everyone involved that we are determined to repeat—and even improve upon—our success in 2011! Please reserve a spot on your calendar for the morning of Thursday, August 11th, 2011. We will once again be playing at the Calgary Elks Lodge & Golf Club, located at 2502 6th Street NE. It will be another early morning start with breakfast and lunch before and after the round.

Registration has been set at $225 and there are many additional ways to participate—even for non-golfers! Volunteers will be needed on the day, both at the registration desk and on the course. We look forward to repeating the popular Silent Auction during lunch, so we will be very grateful for donated items that we can put up for bid throughout the event.

Our sponsors are vitally important to the tournament’s success, and numerous opportunities will be available, each with its own level of recognition and benefit including at least one player entry. Our $5,000 Masters sponsors, for example, will see their company name and logo displayed on one side of a HandiBus (The “Golf” Bus) until the following year’s tournament!

Every registration will include breakfast, 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch and prizes. The tournament will follow a Texas Scramble format—and this year we will be handicapping the event.

Please share this information with anyone you know who might be interested in participating—whether as a golfer, a sponsor, or the donor of a gift-in-kind towards the Silent Auction.

COME AND PLAY “THE HANDIBUS” IN 2011!

DOWNLOADABLE GOLF REGISTRATION FORMS:

Player Registration

Sponsor Registration

Sponsorship Information

 

For further information please contact:
Marni Halwas - Director, Fund Development
(403) 276-8028 ext 280
mhalwas@calgaryhandibus.com

HandiBus Launches $4 Million Capital Campaign Many Faces, Many Places

October 24, 2008
Calgary, Alberta

(Calgary) …Calgary HandiBus Association is pleased to announce a new 3-year, $4 Million capital campaign. The focus of this campaign is to raise the funds for bus purchases in 2009, 2010 and 2011 for a total of 50 new HandiBuses. Each new HandiBus costs $80,000.

For over 37 years Calgary HandiBus has been helping people with their special transportation needs. Helping our fellow Calgarians is our number one priority. We are on the road 365 days a year and provide approximately 40,000 trips each month. Every Calgarian must be given the opportunity to actively participate in our community and develop a healthy, well-rounded life – transportation being essential. Some of the people that use HandiBus have no other means of getting to the doctor, work, volunteering, groceries, or even to a restaurant with their family. Social inclusion is critical and it is what we help provide – no one should be held back or limited because of a disability.

Mobility and accessibility are real concerns for an expanding segment of our population – a segment that can become isolated without your help. With an aging and growing population, demand for our service is increasing. There are about 19,000 people registered to use our service. Today the HandiBus fleet consists of 133 specially equipped buses, all of which are donated by individuals, associations, corporations and foundations within our community.

The name of our campaign – Many Faces, Many Places – was submitted by one of the HandiBus drivers. This employee gets to see firsthand the Many Faces that we help every day and the Many Places that we travel to within Calgary.

For more information, contact:

George Penny
CEO & General Manager
(403) 276-8028 ext. 223

Marni Halwas
Fund Development
(403) 276-8028 ext. 280

Sale of Retired Buses

To assist in our fundraising for the year, HandiBus is selling some of our fully accessible used buses. All funds raised from the sale ofretired buses will go into a bus capital fund to purchase new vehicles that provide cost-effective and efficient transportation for persons with disabilities. Each bus is well maintained, and all contain wheelchair lifts.

To view the vehicles or for more information please contact:

Ken McCarron
Manager, Fleet Services
Calgary HandiBus Association
Phone: 276-8028 @ loc. #254

Calgary HandiBus Association is a non-profit charitable organization serving the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities in Calgary.

Calgary HandiBus’ “Doing it Right” Policy

This policy may also be referred to as our Whistleblower Policy.

All members of the Calgary HandiBus community are encouraged to report (“blow the whistle”) possible dishonest or fraudulent conduct. An employee should report their concerns to a Supervisor or Manager. If for any reason an employee finds it difficult to report their concern to a Manager or Supervisor, the employee can report it directly to the General Manager or Audit Committee Chair.

Calgary HandiBus will investigate any possible dishonest or fraudulent use or misuse of Calgary HandiBus resources or property. Anyone found to have engaged in dishonest or fraudulent conduct may be subject to disciplinary action by Calgary HandiBus up to and including civil or criminal prosecution, or termination of employment.

Managers or Supervisors are required to report suspected dishonest or fraudulent conduct to the Audit Committee Chair or Board Chair. For more information about definitions, rights and responsibilities, procedures and contacts, please read the following.

Definitions

Reporter or Whistleblower: a person who informs a Manager, Supervisor the Audit Committee Chair or the General Manager about an action or activity which that person believes to be dishonest, fraudulent or against Association policy.

Baseless Allegations: allegations made without reasonable basis or which may be untrue. People “reporting” such allegations may be subject to internal disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment and /or legal claims by individuals accused of such conduct.

Dishonest or Fraudulent Conduct: a deliberate act, or failure to act, with the intention of obtaining, or assisting another to obtain, an unauthorized benefit. Examples of such conduct include, but are not limited to:

1. forgery or alteration of documents
2. unauthorized use of computer files
3. fraudulent financial reporting
4. pursuit of a benefit in violation of HandiBus’ conflict of interest policy
5. stealing or misuse of HandiBus resources (Examples: stealing money, stealing supplies or equipment, using shop equipment to fix personal vehicles, employees using the bus wash for their cars)
6. authorizing or receiving payment for goods not received, services not performed or hours not worked

Rights and Responsibilities

Managers or Supervisors

1. Management is responsible for maintaining a system of controls which detect and deter dishonest or fraudulent conduct.
2. Management is required to report suspected dishonest or fraudulent conduct to the Audit Committee Chair or General Manager.
3. Failure by a Manager or Supervisor to report misconduct within the scope of this policy may result in disciplinary action against such Manager or Supervisor, up to and including dismissal.

Reporting and Handling of an Allegation or Concern

1. Reasonable care should be taken in dealing with suspected misconduct to avoid:
   1. baseless allegations
   2. advance notice to persons suspected of misconduct and/or disclosure of suspected misconduct to others not involved with the investigation
   3. violations of a person’s rights under law
2. Accordingly, a Manager or Supervisor faced with suspected misconduct:
   1. should not contact the person suspected to further investigate the matter or ask them to fix the problem (Example: asking an employee to pay back the money stolen);
   2. should not discuss the case with anyone other than the Audit Committee Chair, General Manager or a duly authorized law enforcement officer;
   3. should direct all inquiries from any lawyer acting for the suspected individual to the Audit Committee Chair or General Manager; and
   4. should direct all inquiries from the media to the General Manager.
3. Protection for those Reporting
   1. Calgary HandiBus will use reasonable efforts to protect persons reporting a concern or allegation against retaliation, as described below. HandiBus cannot guarantee confidentiality.
   2. Calgary HandiBus will endeavour to keep the identity of the person reporting the dishonest or fraudulent concern confidential, unless:
   1. the person agrees to be identified;
   2. identification is necessary to allow Calgary HandiBus or law enforcement officials to investigate or respond effectively to the report;
   3. identification is required by law; or
   4. the person accused of misconduct is entitled to the information as a matter of legal right, such as in certain disciplinary proceedings.
   3. Calgary HandiBus employees may not retaliate against a whistleblower with the intent or effect of adversely affecting the terms or conditions of employment (including but not limited to, threats of physical harm, loss of job, punitive work assignments, or impact on salary or wages).
   4. Whistleblowers who believe that they have been retaliated against may file a written complaint with the Audit Committee Chair or Board Chair.
   5. A proven complaint of retaliation may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against the retaliating person.
   6. Protection from retaliation is not intended to stop Managers or Supervisors from taking action, including disciplinary action, in the usual scope of their duties.

Contacts

Questions related to this policy should be directed, in confidence, to the Board Chair or to the Audit Committee Chair, care of:

Calgary HandiBus Association
231-37th Ave NE
Calgary Alberta
T2E 8J2
Fax 403-276-1434

Confidential Telephone Voice Mail
403-276-8028 Ext 250 for Audit Chair/Board Chair