Donors
Driven by a Love for Humanity
Philanthropy: (phi·lan·thro·py fə-ˈlan(t)-thrə-pē) from the Greek for “loving people”, goodwill to fellow members of the human race, especially the active effort to promote the welfare of people. (Miriam Webster Dictionary)
Peter Dueckman loves to drive. He also understands what it feels like when you can’t just get in your vehicle and go wherever you want, whenever you want. That’s why Peter chose to give a gift to Communitas’ recent Drive to Thrive campaign.
“The catchy slogan got my attention,” he says. “I also appreciated the story.”
Drive to Thrive raised funds to purchase two new accessible vans complete with wheelchair lifts. The new vans will replace ones that are no longer reliable and are so old that replacement parts are no longer available.
Peter has been a long-time Communitas donor. Philanthropy – particularly as it is defined by Miriam Webster – has been part of his life for as long as he can remember.
His mother participated in church sewing circles that benefitted organizations like Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Peter recalls that she also canvased the neighbourhood collecting donations for the United Way. He himself got UNICEF boxes at school to raise money for that cause.
Church giving had a big influence on him. At church, all the children brought a coin each Sunday morning for the Sunday School collection and regular tithing was often emphasized.
But as a teenager, Peter made a conscious decision that he wouldn’t be “cheap.” His family struggled financially, which naturally led to a culture of frugality that he felt sometimes bordered on being miserly. That led to his personal conviction that he would always seek to be generous. Peter was also influenced by his brother-in-law, Corny, who modeled generosity and a way of living that held possessions loosely.
“I could see that Corny gave wherever he could,” Peter remembers. “I decided I wanted to be like that.”
Peter is also keenly aware of his privileges. He often tells his sons that their family has already won the lottery, simply by being born in Canada and all of the benefits that automatically go along with that. He looks at his successful career in orthodontics as a fortunate bit of chance.
“I was one of a lot of qualified applicants to the orthodontics program that I applied to, so I don’t take it for granted that I was accepted,” Peter says.
This conviction, along with his youthful decision to be generous, has directed Peter’s giving. He and his wife, Irene, have chosen to give to and volunteer with international organizations like MCC, trusting them to do good work. They also choose to donate to local organizations, Communitas being one of them.
Which brings us back to the Drive to Thrive campaign. Peter’s first connection to Communitas goes back decades to when he was a student in Bible school. His love of driving led him to volunteer to drive fellow students to their various volunteer service projects, including the Twin Firs group home.
“It wasn’t until Communitas celebrated its 50th anniversary last year and I saw the mention of Twin Firs, that I made the connection,” Peter says.
Peter also notes with some regret that his own ability to drive has become restricted due to complications with his eye sight. He chooses not to drive at night and relies on Irene to get him where he needs to go. And while this challenge doesn’t require specialized vehicles, it does allow him to empathize with the people served by Communitas who do.
“Given all those connections, it just felt natural to give to Drive to Thrive,” Peter says, adding that Communitas’ person-centred work ethic also resonates with him. “I like that ‘philanthropy’ means “for the love of humanity.” It’s not just about giving money, it’s about sharing the resources you have with people who need it.”
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