The Enbridge Community Volunteer Program

Meet Cleofe Teves Cornelio- Enbridge Employee and Volunteer of Durham Filipino Fest 2019.

In my life as a community volunteer and at the same time executing my passion as a writer/advocate, I met a lot of people. Some of them are forgettable, some eventually become allies. It is true that friends don't normally talk nor see each other often, but friendship exists. In my case with Cleofe, who contacted me at our first Durham Filipino Fest last September, she is a blast from the past.

Organizing an outdoor festival for the first time is both exciting and streneous. And this is where well-meaning individuals come in to save the day. You have a couple of volunteers at various aspects of the event, many of whom came on the final day to assist organizers. Some, played special roles and spent hours on the planning stages up until the event is over. Organizers, normally like me, don't even have time to say thank you before that particular event folds away.

As active members of the community, some of us are given unique opportunities to help more than we colud and we should. Cleofe grab that opportunity in her hands and did more to uplift our infantile organization to a more solid ground as putting Durham Filipino Fest on Enbridge's Community Programs and Enbridge's Employee Program initiatives. Cleofe Teves Cornelio works with Enbridge and so she is with Enbridge's Employee Programs as Volunteer Ambassador. It means Cleofe will Volunteer to Durham Filipino Fest, participate in all of its activities clocking hours of Volunteering, in lieu, Cleofe can recommend Durham Filipino Fest to qualify to receive a particular amount to help support our organization through the Enbridge Employee Programs. It needs validation and last night, Enbridge announced they are contributing to Durham Filipino Fest.

I can't believe my eyes when I read it. Although Cleofe and I help each other with the process to ensure all informations were as required. I was still taking her intentions and being an employee of Enbridge lightly, until last night. We thanked Enbridge wholeheartedly for its support. Durham Filipino Fest is on its infancy and the likes of Enbridge and a dedicated Volunteer such as Cleofe with that kind of opportunity to help us. Durham Filipino Fest is slightly flapping its wings to fly higher from the ground as we are prparing to launch our "Project: SilverLining" for Seniors across Durham Region which will commence on the month in May for Mother's Day 2020.

During our event at Memorial Park in Oshawa last September, Cleofe, like all trusted Volunteers came early and stayed until the evening, manning the backstage. I can't believe how she remained enthusiastic the whole time making sure our talents and production participants were safe from outside intrusions.  She was assigned at the backstage with my other good friend Josh Cuasay who also stayed up until the closing of the event. Their actions and dedications, like all the other Volunteers are truly inspiring. Durham Filipino Fest is the funding arm of our community advocacy, goals and objectives. It is meant to put all loving, right-minded people in one place and celebrate our heritage, traditions and culture.

Thank you to Enbridge's "Our Community Program" and Enbridge's "Employee Programs." You are helping us grow feathers to accomplish our mission and vision to the community in Durham Region and beyond.