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By ELIZA BARLOW Photo CURTIS COMEAU
BIG VISION, BIGGER LEGACY
A new fund offers a legacy for BGCBigs staff, volunteers and youth
WITH OVER 45 years as an executive director of a not-for-profit, Liz O’Neill experienced many moments when she knew she was leading a truly exceptional group of people. But one stands out.
Money was tight and her organization was relying on bingos and casinos to keep the lights on.
“My question to staff was, ‘Do we lay people off or do we all take a five per cent cut?’ We took a vote,” O’Neill recalls. “One hundred per cent of the staff said, ‘We’ll take the cut.’ And nobody was laid off.” She continues: “In my heart of hearts, I knew that day that we had created something different.”
O’Neill retired from Boys & Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs) of Edmonton & area at the end of August, having spent her career leading the organization through major expansion and great success helping at-risk youth.
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