[GREN-Exec] GREN Meeting and Combined Social Event - Wed, Aug 23rd?

Tue Aug 22 14:48:12 EDT 2023

Re:  references.

A student once asked me for a letter of reference, for a job at Mutual Life. Her academic record was good and she had other positive qualities, so I agreed and sent out my recommendation.  Then a call came for Mutual:  was she married?  I said she had never mentioned her marital status to me.  He explained that she claimed to be single in her application, but they checked her official marital status and there was a husband there.  "We never hire liers" he said with a bit of amusement in his voice. I told the student about the call.  I decided she was young and still on a learning curve, and this incident could be good for her.
-in loco parentis, retired professor Michalenko
________________________________
From: Executive <executive-bounces at gren.ca> on behalf of John Jackson <jjackson at web.ca>
Sent: August 22, 2023 12:40 PM
To: Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com>
Cc: GREN Executive <executive at gren.ca>
Subject: Re: [GREN-Exec] GREN Meeting and Combined Social Event - Wed, Aug 23rd?

I'm sure that none of us will have sent a recommendation for Lulu. None of us are that mean to other groups or willing to harm our reputations by giving an insincere reference.

I once got caught by such a situation. I was leading the search for an executive director for an organization. I called the references who all gave me glowing references. Shortly after we hired him, I started to doubt his skills to be an ED. He was a disaster. The shocker to me was when I saw one of the references that I had spoken with. He was the head of the organization that the guy had been working for at the time he applied to us. I told him my suspicions about his skills and the person who gave the reference quickly responded that they had wanted to get rid of him so they gave a glowing reference. Major lesson learnt by me. We had to get rid of our new ED in less than a year after we hired him.

John

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John Jackson
17 Major Street
Kitchener N2H 4R1
519-744-7503

On Aug 21, 2023, at 9:58 PM, Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com> wrote:

Hi Susan,

I would agree.  I have given it a lot of thought and haven’t responded to Lulu yet but there isn’t any way that I can recommend her.  I was thinking of trying to follow-up with her and suggest that she direct her energies in other efforts and endavours - committee work isn’t likely the best fit.

Cheers,
Kevin.

-------------------------------------

Kevin Thomason

1115 Cedar Grove Road
Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Mastodon: @kthomason at mstdn.ca
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com

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On Aug 21, 2023, at 4:06 PM, Susan Koswan <susankoswan at execulink.com> wrote:

Just wanted to ask if any of you wrote a reference letter for Lulu to apply for the Lake Erie Water Protection Committee. I couldn't, in good conscience, do so.

Susan K

On 2023-08-21 12:27 p.m., Kevin Thomason wrote:
Hi Susan,

Thanks for the follow-up.  I was just speaking with Kyra from ClimateAction WR.  Unfortunately, the weather forecast for Thursday has changed and they are now calling for significant rainfall all day long - not the best for a summer BBQ event.  We are contemplating switching the date to Tuesday, August 29th and she is going to follow-up shortly.

I will keep you posted.  Let me know any thoughts or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin.

-------------------------------------

Kevin Thomason

1115 Cedar Grove Road
Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Mastodon: @kthomason at mstdn.ca
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com<mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>

-----------------------------------------

On Aug 21, 2023, at 12:15 PM, susankoswan at execulink.com<mailto:susankoswan at execulink.com> wrote:

I can make it for 5 Kevin. Can everyone else make it?

Susan K

On 16 Aug 2023 23:40, Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com><mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com> wrote:
Hi GREN Executive,

While things have been busier than ever on the environmental front with Bill 23, the Greenbelt Attacks, Regional Official Plans, Climate Change, Green Development Standards, Rally’s, and so many other activities
it has been a while since we met in-person.

Kyra Chisholm from Climate Action WR has been trying to get social gatherings of all area environmental groups together for a while.  We have agreed to do a potluck evening event at my house on Sunfish Lake on Wednesday, August 23rd at 6pm.  She has invited about 30 different people/environmental groups from across Waterloo Region.  I am thinking that perhaps we could combine activities and do an informal GREN meeting beforehand - perhaps at 5pm then meet with the others arriving at 6pm.

I have attached her e-mail below that has gone out to others this evening.  Please let me know any thoughts or ideas and if it sounds like a good idea I can send an e-mail invitation to the GREN membership list informing them of the event 6pm and a chance for GREN to meet in advance around 5pm.

Cheers,
Kevin.

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Kyra Chisholm <kyra.chisholm at climateactionwr.ca><mailto:kyra.chisholm at climateactionwr.ca>
Subject: Join us on August 23rd for an environmental groups potluck!
Date: August 16, 2023 at 3:43:17 PM EDT
To: Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com><mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>, Caterina Lindman <caterina.lindman at gmail.com><mailto:caterina.lindman at gmail.com>, climatesave at yahoo.com<mailto:climatesave at yahoo.com>, Waterloo Region Community Garden Network <waterloo.region.community.gardens at gmail.com><mailto:waterloo.region.community.gardens at gmail.com>, Matt Cowan <matt at kermis.com><mailto:matt at kermis.com>, Isaiah Ritzmann <isaiahr at theworkingcentre.org><mailto:isaiahr at theworkingcentre.org>, Anjali Misra <helloanjalimisra at gmail.com><mailto:helloanjalimisra at gmail.com>, hello at cyclewr.ca<mailto:hello at cyclewr.ca>, Laura Hamilton at Divest Waterloo <laura at divestwaterloo.ca><mailto:laura at divestwaterloo.ca>, NVEcoboosters <nvecoboosters at gmail.com><mailto:nvecoboosters at gmail.com>, Aleksandra Petrovic Graonic <aleksandra at waterlooregion.org><mailto:aleksandra at waterlooregion.org>, Kai RW <kai at bettercreative.ca><mailto:kai at bettercreative.ca>, Henriette Thompson <henriette.thompson at gmail.com><mailto:henriette.thompson at gmail.com>, Becky Voll <becky.voll at gmail.com><mailto:becky.voll at gmail.com>, letstreewilmot at gmail.com<mailto:letstreewilmot at gmail.com>, Caleb deGroot-Maggetti <calebdgm at gmail.com><mailto:calebdgm at gmail.com>, afuentesmartinez at gmail.com<mailto:afuentesmartinez at gmail.com>, Steph Goertz <stephanie.s.goertz at gmail.com><mailto:stephanie.s.goertz at gmail.com>, Barb Schumacher <bschumac at uwaterloo.ca><mailto:bschumac at uwaterloo.ca>, Kae Elgie <kaeelgie at yahoo.com><mailto:kaeelgie at yahoo.com>, Steve Bottoms <stevegb36 at gmail.com><mailto:stevegb36 at gmail.com>, Tova Davidson <tova at sustainablewr.ca><mailto:tova at sustainablewr.ca>, Mary Jane Patterson <mjpatterson at reepgreen.ca><mailto:mjpatterson at reepgreen.ca>, Sandra Bray <sandra at sandrabray.ca><mailto:sandra at sandrabray.ca>, Sydney Sandluck <sydney.sandluck at climateactionwr.ca><mailto:sydney.sandluck at climateactionwr.ca>

Hello!

I hope you have all been enjoying your summer and keeping well. Kevin Thomason of the Grand River Environmental Network (and many other groups) has graciously offered to host the first of what we hope will be many potlucks shared amongst the many wonderful environment focused groups across Waterloo Region.

We hope these potlucks can be a space where environmental groups can come together, connect, share about our work and collaborate over a meal. If you would like to be kept in the loop about future potlucks, please send me an email and I will add you to our growing list, as goes for any member of your group or others who we may have missed!

Time & Date: August 23rd at starting at 6 PM
Location: Sun Fish lake - 1115 Cedar Grove Road, Waterloo (map attached)
Details: Go for a swim or canoeing, we can do a campfire as it gets into the evening and we can make it fun with a dessert pot-luck where everyone brings some sort of dessert to share. Lemonade or fruit punch beverage provided by our gracious host!
If you are able to drive people or interested in joining a carpool, please let me know and I am happy to make connections.

Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions!
--
Kyra Chisholm (she/her)
Plan Manager, ClimateActionWR
226-476-1659 | kyra.chisholm at climateactionwr.ca<mailto:kyra.chisholm at climateactionwr.ca>
www.climateactionwr.ca<http://www.climateactionwr.ca/>

Please note: SWR will be piloting a compressed work week for the summer. Please expect delayed responses to your emails on Fridays.

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I am grateful to work in Waterloo Region and the Grand River watershed, which are located on the traditional territory of Indigenous Peoples, including the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Neutral Peoples. We recognize the enduring presence of the Indigenous peoples who we share this land with today, and their contributions to our community. Read our full territorial acknowledgement<https://reepgreen.ca/about#landacknowledgement>.

-------------------------------------

Kevin Thomason

1115 Cedar Grove Road
Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Mastodon: @kthomason at mstdn.ca
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com<mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>

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