Without meaning to sound like a 2016 retrospective, we’d like to provide a peek at some of the things that make Aurora Scientific a great place to work. Close on the heels of hiring our new European Product Consultant, Rufus O’Brien, in 2015, we greeted two new faces in our head office in Aurora. Ron House joined us as Electronics Designer followed by Derek Kester as Production Supervisor and Final Test Technician. Ron and Derek are welcome additions, bringing new talents to the team and new opportunities to our product lines.
But just as new people join us, so too do people leave. In March we experienced our first retiring employee, saying goodbye to Mike Reinheimer who has provided design and final test expertise to us for 14 years. If you’ve looked at our Grand Opening Celebrations blog post you’ll know that he was also our occasional chef! Mike is definitely missed from the team.
In March our Health and Wellness committee organized another annual challenge to improve the fitness habits of our staff. Dubbed 15 = 15, everyone was encouraged to increase their daily amount of activity by 15 minutes five days a week for a three week period, getting a chance to win a $15 gift card. Maybe a walk, a swim, some light weights or floor exercises or even a dance lesson – the choices are endless when it comes to ideas of how to become a little bit more active. And now that ASI is located next door to a beautiful forested trail, well, let’s say we had terrific participation in this initiative. Congratulations to the Health and Wellness Committee and to our svelt(er) employees!
Aurora Scientific has continued to devote energy to local charitable events and causes. In June, Geoff Chandler offered his time and talents behind the wheel of his car to a family charity fun day at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Driven2Smile. This event provides an exciting day of lapping around the track to children who are challenged by developmental and/or social impairments. Hosted by “Talking, Language and Communication Inc”, an organization dedicated to supporting the psychosocial needs of afflicted children and their families, muscle cars and exotic sports cars zipped those kids around one of the premier road tracks in the country. This is the third year Geoff has participated in Driven2Smile, bringing squeals of joy to the children’s day.
July saw Aurora Scientific field another team of walkers and runners participating in the annual Rebecca Run raising funds for the Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (FSMA). SMA is a genetic disease that destroys nerves required to walk, stand, eat, speak, breathe and swallow and is the #1 genetic killer of children under the age of 2. This event was begun 15 years ago by a local resident whose niece was diagnosed with SMA. So in addition to ongoing support of SMA research with our muscle physiology products, Aurora Scientific proudly participated in this year’s FSMA run, raising funds that will help families who face the significant financial burden that comes with such a debilitating diagnosis.
Most recently, in October Aurora Scientific proudly became a corporate supporter of another charity run, Run For The Trails, hosted by Friends of Scanlon Creek. With a trail system that spans almost 300 hectares, Scanlon Creek Conservation Area is a hikers’ haven, a picnicking paradise, a birder’s delight and a photographer’s dream. Runners braved cold and windy weather to compete in the 1km, 3km and 7km trail runs and the event achieved a new record of funds raised toward its goal of developing a fully accessible trail in Scanlon Creek. Although the timing proved difficult for team participation, Aurora Scientific was ably represented by Finance Manager, Lori and her husband, Mike.
And as the snapshot at the top shows, company lunches could be on the workday’s agenda at any time of year! We value all our staff here in Aurora and look for opportunities to celebrate and support their interests and personal achievements. We think a happy company is a successful company.
