Ok. I have a few confessions to make. Up until 4 weeks ago, I’m pretty sure that I have never planted a flower before. And, prior to getting ready for my interview for the HSC Development Manager position, I’m equally certain that I had never heard of an Amaryllis.
I remember first learning about the Amaryllis as I prepped for my first interview at HSC. I did what most folks do, jumped on Google and searched for Amaryllis. “OK,” I thought to myself. “It’s a plant.” That makes sense, lots of charities sell plants to raise funds and awareness.
As I dug deeper into my HSC research, I realized the size of this fundraising campaign. 20,000 bulbs… “That’s a lot,” I said to myself…. “Volunteer driven… coast to coast….”
As I prepared for my interview I thought more and more about this amazing Amaryllis volunteer group. I wondered why they are so committed, and what would I do to support them and help them grow their support.
In the close to 3 months that I have worked here, I have started to understand what makes HSC special and why so many are so connected. For me it’s this feeling… a feeling of family. That’s the feeling I get from this incredible community that I joined.
So many of us share this common connection – to do what we can to support those impacted by HD and to help find a meaningful way to treat this disease.
And for so many I have met or spoken with in my brief time here, there is hope. Hope for a brighter future for everyone affected by HD.
That is what the Amaryllis growing in my office inspires in me…. Hope!
We also have a couple Amaryllis growing at my home. My wife Debb, and my two boys, Rohan (7) and Cooper (5) each planted an Amaryllis. Planting the bulb with them was great in so many ways. We spent time talking about the work we do at HSC and the people that all of us support.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll add to this blog, and include pictures and stories as the Hoffman’s grow their first Amaryllis bulbs.
In the meantime, please feel free to drop me a note at jhoffman@huntingtonsociety.ca. I’m interested in your feedback and ideas around the Amaryllis program. How can we serve you better? How can we grow interest and awareness in this fundraiser? And, if you have any Amaryllis growing tips, please pass them along!
Thank you for reading and thank you for your ongoing support!
Jeff
PS. I should mentioning that there are just a few Amaryllis left. As I write this, we have a little over 5% of our stock remaining. If you need to place your order, or if you need more Amaryllis, please don’t wait. You can order by clicking here, emailing me at amaryllis@huntingtonsociety.ca or by calling 1-800-998-7398.