8 having much direct contact with them and ways that are less intrusive to these incredible animals. The second article on conservation is brought to you by Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC). Jeremy Hogan, the direc- tor of Prairie Grassland Conservation, who has been in awe of the massive expanse of grasslands in our prairie region since he was a child, educates us about the grasslands that he describes are workhorses for our land, our people and play an important role in agriculture. These grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Jeremy shares information about the work NCC is doing to care for and con- serve these grasslands and states that they need “everyone at the table to help to ensure their future”. We have included an article written by Duke Chang, President and CEO of CanadaHelps, who brings us information from The Giving Report about trends taking place in Canada. One of these trends is that our connections and social bonds with each other are contracting, which, in turn, is changing how we engage with the world around us. Comparisons are given between charita- ble giving and how many friends a per- son has is quite enlightening. Advice for charities to fight these trends is explored. Reprinted from the Canadian Bar Association’s National Magazine is an arti- cle about steps to reconciliation beyond land acknowledgements. Information from the firm McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto and MLT Aikins LLP from Western Canada on how they are making steps to prioritize education and work with Indigenous communities to develop relationships in a meaningful way. There are 3 inspiring profiles included from the Salvation Army, the War Amps and the Terry Fox Foundation. From the Salvation Army we learn about Nicole, who went from living in her car, needing assistance, to where she is today as the manager for a Salvation Army Thrift Store. From the Terry Fox Foundation we are inspired by Owen’s story, a young man who is heading off to university at the time of this writing as a cancer survivor, who now tries not to “sweat the small stuff” and practices random acts of kindness. The War Amps shares the story of Chris Koch, who was born without both arms and legs, but always managed to figure out a way to do the things he wanted to do with the support of his family and from The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) program. Chris says he is just a “regular dude” but take a good read of this article to find out how inspiring this regular dude really is. The final inclusion is a postscript from the publisher. It is my tribute to a val- ued, long-time friend of the Canadian Donor’s Guide, Paul Nazareth, who has started a new path, a desire path. Thank you again for your dedicated sup- port of the Canadian Donor’s Guide as a valued resource. If you have suggestions, ideas or questions, feel free to contact me directly. May this Guide always be help- ful in your endeavours to easily and effectively match donors with charities. Please know that I am thinking of all of the nicest people across Canada. Those that are working hard on behalf of chari- ties in all communities, from the largest to the smallest. And those people sup- porting those charities with their time, their money and their planned gifts, leaving a legacy. I am also thinking about the nicest people who are advisors to those doing their financial and estate planning. I thank you all for continuing to do what you do. Desire line or desire path : an unplanned route or path (such as one worn into a grassy surface by repeated foot traffic) that is used by pedestrians in preference to or in the absence of a designated alternative (such as a paved pathway) - from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ Posted by Rachel Pearson - 1B Civil on February 13, 2024 on the website of The Iron Warrior: “I find joy in the idea that something so simple as a desire path can suggest the freedom we have with our choices, the freedom to ignore the written rule. Humans will always choose to make their environment suit them rather than change themselves, which can be dangerous, but in the case of the desire path is just practi- cal, efficient, and a little bit fun; grounding oneself in the grasses just to the side of a con- crete path can feel cathartic… maybe even rebellious. Maybe I’m dramatizing it, as it is just a beaten down patch of grass. But I feel as though it is representative of so much more. A path high- lighting the true nature, the true desire of humans…” The Iron Warrior is produced by the University of Waterloo’s Engineering Society and can be found at https://iwarrior.uwaterloo.ca/ Photo credit to Paul Nazareth Photo credit to Paul Nazareth @generosityguy @generosityguy
