It would have been easy for Kieran Andrews to go quietly into the night upon his semi-retirement in 2022.
Easy, except for the simple fact that Andrews has never done easy very well.
So it was that the co-founder of Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough acted on his vision to create a movement reflective of not only his boundless love for and care of the environment, but also his belief in the transformative power of community.
Partnering with the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, Andrews’ vision has since blossomed into the ComPassion Project that, to date, has raised a remarkable $191,000, gifted by close to 300 donors, for six local organizations.
On January 16 at Showplace Performance Centre, representatives of four of those non-profit organizations — Kawartha Land Trust, One City Peterborough, Fourcast, and YES Shelter for Youth and Families — gathered prior to the initial screenings of the Banff Mountain Film Festival (hosted by Wild Rock Outfitters) to not only celebrate that philanthropy, but outline how those dollars have enabled them to do their important work.
In addition to those four organizations, the Peterborough Trail Builders’ Association and the Peterborough Bike Advisory Committee are also beneficiaries of the ComPassion Project, which aims to support local organizations working on the front lines of environmental stewardship and social change.
Just this past Sunday (January 26), the annual 8-Hour Ski Relay, hosted by the Kawartha Nordic Ski Club in North Kawartha Township, was held in support of the ComPassion Project.
With an ambitious goal of $35,000, that event is well on its way to eclipsing the $19,000 raised last year, with donations being accepted online at CanadaHelps until the end of February.
Organizer John Hauser is typical of most who participated in the event, in that he brings a personal story to his involvement.
“I lost my dad when I was 23,” he relates. “He was a great dad; a really good automotive mechanic. He was a regular guy you might see anywhere around Peterborough … kind of blue collar. It was after a cancer diagnosis and treatment that his mental health was terribly affected.”
“I see people struggling and I can’t think of them as somebody else. I think about my father and I make that connection. I think ‘I don’t know what this person’s story is but I think we can help him (or her) through donations to the ComPassion Project.”
At the mentioned Showplace gathering, Andrews was absent due to illness but, as reflected in the comments from those who spoke, his spirit was front of mind. Community, each noted, is a powerful thing, and when those in need know that there’s a community standing with them, that’s a very powerful message.
That, explains Andrews, isn’t a byproduct of the ComPassion Project — it’s at its heart.
“I’m a huge believer in the building of community being done with intent,” says Andrews. “We talked about that (Sunday) at the beginning of the Nordic (ski) relay. We’re a group of skiers who decided to do this event to raise money for a number of organizations. But look where we are. We’re standing on these trails in the forest. This is not a coincidence. This is not an accident.”
“People who believe in this specific activity, and believe in the wellness that comes from that lifestyle, have poured their lives into building and maintaining these trails,” Andrews says. “It doesn’t matter whether the way you build community is by volunteering or by coaching a kids’ soccer program. These are people who are acting with intent to make their communities better in the way they know how.”
Andrews says his creation of the ComPassion Project “slowly started percolating” awhile back.
“I grew up in a family of people who supported organizations where they could and did things they believed in, but I never had resources to do the same,” he recalls. “But I reached a point where, all of a sudden, I kind of did.”
“The question I asked myself was ‘How can I do the best with the resources I had?’ That’s when I really started to think about what I wanted to do personally. Still being involved with Wild Rock, we had the capacity to communicate with a significant number of people. Through our social platforms and our marketing, if we could share my personal desire and amplify it, maybe we could have a much greater impact than I could as an individual. That was where it started, as simple at that.”
Asked if petitioning others to give financially to the ComPassion Project is something that comes easy for him, Andrews laughs before answering “No, it’s terribly awkward. I’m awful at it.”
“In fairness, the approach that we’ve taken is one of ‘Hey, look, we’re doing this. Please join us and we’ll do things of value for all of us.’ That’s the approach. If I was at the hospital foundation and I was going after $30,000 donations, that’s not my thing.”
“But if you’re confident and truly believe in what you’re doing, it becomes much easier to ask. If you present yourself in such a way that people understand why you’re asking and appreciate the work you’re doing and can see your commitment, they will be almost proud of you for doing what you’re doing, whether they’re going to give or not.”
Leading by example doesn’t hurt matters. Andrews’ initial financial contribution kickstarted the ComPassion Project, not to mention his advocacy of the important work of each of the fund’s beneficiaries.
As for the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough’s involvement in the ComPassion Project, it’s hardly surprising given the organization’s stated goal of “Inspiring giving to build a vital community for everyone.”
The foundation traces its roots to 2007 when a group of affordable housing advocates, frustrated by “piecemeal” solutions to the problem, came together to create holistic, long-term change in the community. Two years later, a $40,000 gift from local philanthropists saw the foundation created. Since then, more than $7.5 million has been invested in projects, with more than $13 million in endowed and long-term funds committed.
Foundation executive director Jennifer DeBues says, when it comes to defining what philanthropic success looks like, “It’s easy to say it’s the number of dollars and the number of people (giving), but those are shortcuts to talking about success.”
“We wanted to get a bit deeper with the charities that attended the (Banff Mountain Film Festival) event — the recipients of these (ComPassion Project) funds — so we asked that question,” DeBues says. “Success (for them) is about relationships to nature and with each other, feeling connected, and having a sense of belonging. It was all these deeper things that a lot of us have in common in terms of what we’re looking for in life. The common denominator was very powerful.”
“I’ve got the best job in town. I get to see and hear the best stories people have to offer. Bringing that circle, from the donors through the charities and back again, is so heartwarming and inspiring. On a grey January day, there’s nothing better.”
Partnering with Andrews on the ComPassion Project, says DeBues, was anchored in her admiration for Andrews’ passion, and his combining of that passion with Wild Rock Outfitters’ outreach capacity.
“He was just so thoughtful about everything,” DeBues says. “Every single detail along the way, he was prepared to think about and do the work on. It was definitely a no-brainer for me. I was delighted to say yes pretty quickly, but we had months of conversations before we actually signed the deal, so to speak, and launched it. We wanted to get it right.”
From his perspective as a “lifetime retailer,” Andrews says collaboration with the foundation checked some important boxes.
“I have the capacity to think things through, but I was considering something far beyond my realm of experience,” he says. “The things I didn’t know how to do or, frankly, didn’t have any interest in doing, is exactly what the foundation does: the money side of management and the legality of a foundation.’
“As a retailer, you exchange goods for money in a way that offers value to both sides. I was very conscious that it would be potentially awkward for us to be asking for money from our clientele with nothing immediate or tangible in return. A relationship with the foundation takes the transactional part and makes it secure and traceable and transparent.”
Moving forward, Andrews notes, all involved are committed to the continuation of ComPassion Project.
“One of our goals is to normalize the act of giving for a younger generation of donors,” he says.
“We have access to a younger audience and we can engage in a different way than many of the traditional charities can. Will we be an organization that’s pulling down and distributing a million dollars five years from now? I love to think we would but I’d be absolutely fine if we’re not, because that’s not entirely why we’re doing this.”
VIDEO: Kieran Andrews, Founder, ComPassion Project
According to Andrews, the ComPassion Project is also for those people who want to do something about the state of the world, but aren’t quite sure what they can do.
“We’ve created something where people can engage in bite-size ways,” he says.
“It’s pretty dark out there. Every time we can do something where we come together and commit to an act of giving, that’s positive. Every candle you can light has an impact. I think that’s what you’ll see more of from the ComPassion Project — bringing people together more often to work together.”
For more information about the ComPassion Project and to make a donation, visit www.compassionptbo.ca. For more information about the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, visit cfgp.ca.
