How we change communities

A transformation was taking place in the rain. More than 100 MDRT members hauled blue tarps piled high with mulch, pushed wheelbarrows, and assembled equipment and benches. In six hours, they were going turn a bare patch of grass into a vibrant playground in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They were joined by members of the community, including representatives from service organizations such as the local Lions and Rotary clubs.

Working with Kaboom!, the MDRT Foundation organized the project so MDRT members could participate before the Annual Meeting in Vancouver, beginning June 12. “We love giving back. That’s who we are,” said MDRT Foundation President James V. Durkin, CFP, CLU, of the United States.

“We love bring smiles to kids’ faces,” added MDRT member Godfried Wouters of Belgium.

It’s great to do something extra special for the community, said Helen A. Jenkins, DipPFS, of Wales. “And I really like the feeling of pushing a wheelbarrow.”

Surrey is a diverse community of about 468,000 people. Nearly 44 percent of British Columbia’s incoming, government-assisted Syrian refugees have settled in Surrey, according to a recent Vancouver Sun article.

In the photos below, take a look at the playground build.

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Follow the blog to get an inside look at MDRT’s biggest event of the year, the Annual Meeting. Follow the meeting on social media with #MDRT2016.

 

 

Written by Antoinette Tuscano, MDRT Content Specialist

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