Every February we hope to celebrate the announcement of an early Spring on Groundhog's Day, and enjoy the company of our loved ones on Valentine's Day. But something else that occurs quadrennially is Leap Day - February 29th, where we get an extra 24 hours to do something great! How are you going to use that extra day? At Finch & Daisy we're going to encourage all of our team members, family, and friends to use that extra day to be intentional in expressing kindness to others.
You may not know this, but February is packed with observances that tie back to kindness:
4th - National Thank a Mail Carrier Day
6th - Pay a Compliment Day
7th - National Send a Card to a Friend Day
11th - National Make a Friend Day
16th - National Caregivers Day
17th - National Random Acts of Kindness Day
20th - World Day of Social Justice
23rd - National Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day
26th - Letter to an Elder Day
Since February offers so many opportunities to spread goodwill to others, what better way to utilize our 'bonus' day this year than perform an act of kindness. Whether it's a family member, friend, co-worker, or a random stranger, everybody benefits from extra kindness in the world. In a world that too often focuses on the negative, let's be the change agents in creating something positive instead.
At Finch & Daisy we are proud of the efforts of our F&D Gives Back Committee and as you know, we highlight their work extensively in this newsletter and our social media channels. One initiative we wanted to highlight this month is our Volunteerism Program. A few years ago, our leadership team approved this program to give employees two paid days each year to volunteer with organizations in their own communities that they are passionate about. We've had team members volunteer in their children's schools, their churches, local food pantries, cleaning up in their community, and many other opportunities. It's a gesture that many F&D staff appreciate and something that we encourage other companies to look into!
So, let's celebrate our bonus day in 2024 and spread some random goodwill in the world!
This month, we had an opportunity to meet with one of our Operations Administrators, Alecia Erklouts!
How Long Have You Been With F&D: 3 months.
Favorite Movie: Pride & Prejudice – I love movies with British accents!
Favorite Book: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Favorite Band / Artist: This is a coin toss on any given day. Today, Janet Jackson. Tomorrow, Journey. I'm a huge fan of music, especially 90s R&B, Rap, or “alternative rock.” I never have one favorite band or artist.
If you could have any job in the world, what would you do? Growing in this industry, I've learned that I would do anything that involves teaching others how to be better at what they do. In the realm of our world, Consulting is the goal. With limited experience, I enjoy learning how people do things and try to build on the experiences and processes that my colleagues and superiors have had. I also really enjoy the idea of not being married to one company, having a variety of clients keeps me interested and fulfills my need to learn.
Where is the most breathtaking place you've ever travelled? I haven't traveled many places; I hope that changes when the kids are older. However, I loved Sedona, AZ. I went on a whim with my husband and didn't expect to enjoy rocks so much.
Fun Fact About You: I'm highly competitive, almost to a fault… even when I'm bad at something. I will desperately try to win. When sports are involved, I often eat the humble pie. When there's games of puzzle or pattern, I'm a bit stronger. Either way, a good time for me is a group of people trying to beat each other at something.
Pictured is Alecia and her husband Kyle on a recent trip to Las Vegas. Thank you, Alecia, for sharing a little bit about yourself! Be sure to check back next month, for our next featured F&D Team member!