Rochester, MN administrative assistant, Sarah Martinak, partner, Dave Oeth, and client service representative, Julie Kaehler, recently returned from a week-long mission trip to Haiti.
Sarah first traveled to Haiti in October 2012 and enjoyed the experience so much she planned another trip this year. When word got around the Rochester office she was returning, Dave and Julie signed up as well. To fund their trip, they raised over $1,400 selling cookbooks that included recipes from their McGladrey colleagues.
The trip was organized through a non-profit called Visiting Orphans, located in Tennessee. A total of 15 volunteers from the United States went on this mission.
The group worked with and stayed with an organization called Respire, located in Gressier, Haiti. Respire is a free school for 500 students, as well as a transitional house for young women who need to get out of difficult situations. The organization is also building a medical clinic next to the school to provide children easy access to medical treatment.
Each day, the U.S. volunteers climbed a mountain to get to the school where they participated in telling children bible stories, planning activities for recess and spending time with children in the classroom teaching them shapes, colors and how to count. After school, they helped with adult English classes and organized community parties for children in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Children at the school range in age from four to 10 years old. Many are restaveks, a Haitian term for child slave. The children have been sold or abandoned by their parents and given to other families to be used as slaves. Because the school is free, it has become the only educational opportunity for many of the children in Gressier.
For more information on Visiting Orphans or Respire, visit their websites, www.visitingorphans.org, or www.respirehaiti.org.
By Camille Hefner
Charlotte, NC
Assurance Associate
My first few months at McGladrey have been quite the adventure. As an assurance associate I have traveled within Charlotte and even to training in Chicago. In addition I have traveled to other local engagements and even some overnight trips out of town.
While at training in Chicago we learned about Caseware and working as an auditor. In addition we spent most of our time working in groups and talking through the examples and scenarios that we will have at work. This helped me get comfortable asking questions and working with others to problem solve at work.
At training we were also given the opportunity to build bikes for young children. At the end of the night we gave the bikes to the kids and the look on their faces was priceless. I also had the opportunity to try the deep dish Chicago style pizza for the first time and I am hooked.
McGladrey has provided me with an opportunity to also travel back to my hometown of Hickory. I was fortunate enough to be on an engagement where I could spend time close to my family. Although it has only been a few short months, I have enjoyed all of the opportunities to travel with my job.
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| Deep dish Chicago pizza |
Networking events have changed a lot over the years and McGladrey women have played a part in that change. Many of McGladrey’s offices have women’s networking groups they participate in, and some of the groups were even started by McGladrey women.
Women’s Connection, a networking group in the Quad Cities in Iowa, offers excellent programs and speakers. The organization draws several hundred women to its lunch and evening events. McGladrey has participated as a sponsor of the group’s annual leadership conference, and many McGladrey women in the Davenport office and their clients attend the events.
In Dallas, McGladrey hosts an annual event called Champagne and Chocolate. Professional women come together to network while enjoying fine chocolates and champagne.
In Des Moines, Partner Susan Davis hosts an annual Professional Women’s Bike Ride and Lunch, which has been growing in popularity and attendance every year. The women, who include McGladrey professionals and clients gather for a group bike ride. A lunch follows—which allows additional women who don’t bike to be included.
The Kansas City office recently launched Woman as Leaders (WAL). WAL’s mission is to strengthen our market stance and continue to strive for a culture where the best women (and men) choose to grow their careers. The WAL committee includes six women at different career levels within consulting, audit, and tax. They have already held several events in the short time they have been established.
The first event “Dress for Success” kicked off at Ann Taylor. Ann Taylor representatives provided a fun, interactive presentation on appropriate dress attire in the work place. The attendees then had an opportunity to not only shop, but also network.
This past April, 10 WAL women attended the “Kansas City Go Red for Women Half Day for Your Heart” event sponsored by American Heart Associate.
Networking helps us build strong relationships. Making the events unique and innovating like the women of McGladrey are doing helps bring professional woman in our communities together.
How do you network and get involved in your community? Please leave a comment if you are interested in networking with McGladrey!
Sarah first traveled to Haiti in October 2012 and enjoyed the experience so much she planned another trip this year. When word got around the Rochester office she was returning, Dave and Julie signed up as well. To fund their trip, they raised over $1,400 selling cookbooks that included recipes from their McGladrey colleagues. 
