National Trucking Week

Sept 2013

The Manitoba Home Builders' Association is celebrating 75 years.

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12 • September 1-7, 2013 2013 National Trucking Week And Harvey leads by example, since he volunteers his time as vice-chair of the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation. He also co-chairs the capital campaign for the Western Canada Aviation Museum, sits on the Centre Venture Board and chairs an annual dinner to raise funds for prostate cancer research. As well, he is the immediate past chair of the Business Council of Manitoba. "Time is the most precious commodity because every second that goes by, we have a little less time to give. But if it's important to you, you prioritize it and you make sure you have time for it. A lot of our senior people are active in the things that are important in their lives. We greatly encourage it here," Harvey said. "The way I look at it, it's a bit of a no-brainer. You volunteer at something that you can make a difference at, and you get to meet some terrific people that you wouldn't have met if you weren't in that volunteer position. At the same time, you have an opportunity to really put a human side on your company. I think everybody benefits." Besides time and money, the truck and trailer dealership also donates equipment to events throughout the year. "We have a trailer loaned to Rainbow Stage. We give a refrigerated truck every year to the Teddy Bears' Picnic. We also give one for about two months to the Christmas Cheer Board," Harvey said. "We give lots of equipment away on an as-needed basis for different charities around town." The business chooses which organizations to support based on how they're run and what their mission is. "We like to give to organizations where our gift can have an impact and that make our community a better place to work and a better place to live," Harvey said. "If we have a vibrant, growing city, then we tend to have a better pool of employees. In a shrinking city, those employees are moving somewhere else. In a growing city, we have new people coming in with skill sets that we can hopefully use." Last year, the company provided sponsorship funds to more than 20 organizations, including the Children's Museum, the Sport for Life Centre and the Urban Circle Training Centre. Harvey also owns Winnipeg-based Arne's Welding Ltd. and Edmonton-based Summit Trailer Ltd. Like Maxim Truck &Trailer, these businesses are actively involved in charitable work as well. This widespread focus on philanthropy stems from Harvey's family, who taught him at an early age to give back to the community that has provided him with so much. "It's very important. I was raised that way. We always feel blessed that we are in a position that we can give. I was always appreciative that I was born into a family that taught me right from wrong. I've been blessed, and I like to be able to help those that haven't been as lucky as I have been," he said. "I think it's an obligation. You're born with nothing and you die with nothing, how do you want to play the game?" It's a privilege to give. That's the message Doug Harvey's parents instilled in him long ago, and that's the philosophy that remains a driving force behind his national truck and trailer dealership headquartered in Winnipeg. As president of Maxim Truck & Trailer, Harvey set the wheels in motion to ensure that charitable work remains an integral part of the company's culture. "We have a charitable budget, so we support a number of charities. I would suggest that we have given away in the millions of dollars over the years," Harvey said. "We do lots of sponsorships and donations to different organizations. We donated $1 million to the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights. FortWhyte Alive has also got in excess of half a million dollars from us throughout the years." With 15 Maxim branches spread across 10 cities from Montreal to Vancouver, about 550 employees participate in charitable events each year. At the Winnipeg locations, Maxim staff host a pancake breakfast during the Christmas season, with proceeds going to the Christmas Cheer Board. Then in June, they fire up the barbecue to raise funds for CancerCare Manitoba Foundation. More than 600 people attended this year's charity barbecue, raising $16,500. The business also has a Challenge for Life team that has raised more than $48,000 this year for the CancerCare Manitoba campaign. "We're very active in the community, both from a time perspective and from cash donations," Harvey said. "We take pride in it." By JENNIFEr MCFEE For the Free Press drives Maxim Truck & Trailer Maximum generosity We always feel blessed that we are in a position that we can give.

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