The Axis Insurance Group believes that everything we do matters, professionally and personally. That’s why we’re such big fans of Creative Toolbox, a local social venture with a focus on educating youth.
As an Account Executive who specializes in nonprofit insurance, Creative Toolbox and I hold a lot of the same values, including being green in our daily and professional lives. Not only does Axis carry the insurance for Creative Toolbox but Axis also donates to the organization. I also make a private contribution. Founder Jeff Willis is a great connector and has a great energy about him. Jeff is more than a client — he’s my friend.
This past year, some of that money went towards the Fireside Adventures, a summer camp and outdoor acitvities for children, youth, and adults. We were fortunate to be a part of one of the success stories, which I’ll share below.
Creative Toolbox/Fireside Adventures Owner & Founder Jeff Willis:
I wanted to pass along just one of many letters of gratitude from people who received your funding this past summer. Without your belief in what we do, we could not help Kristen and her family. As you can see, your belief and sponsorship ignites positive change and an unexpected miracle.
We have become even more inspired by the recent impact stories like Kristen that we are going to do this full time to reach more people.
From family to family….thank you. Your karma jar just keeps getting bigger.
There is more to Kristen’s story and in many ways you just saved three lives.
Kristen Young:
I would like to reach out and express my gratitude for the compassion and support from those who made my families summer so extraordinary in 2017. After a spring of turmoil and emotion exhaustion I went looking for options to help better support my daughter who was at risk emotionally. As I phoned through lists of recommendations that I had received from counselors, social workers and school staff, Jeff, at Fireside adventures was the ONLY person who answered the call! Without hesitation, he helped me in a matter of weeks to ensure my daughter would be taken care of with a very unique, professional and unexpected opportunity to participate in the 21 day youth leadership camp in July. My daughter was exposed to an environment that was so incredible for her physical, emotional and spiritual growth, words cannot express my awe as I witnessed her adventure.
Through conversations with my daughter over the course of the 21 day program Jeff reached out and offered myself and all of my children the opportunity to participate in the 11 day Yukon sky trip in August. It was such a humbling and amazing experience to be able to have this come to fruition and actually be able to participate, only through the generosity of others. This past year has been full of ups and downs for myself and my family, the opportunity that you as sponsors have provided us with have created an impact that makes the positive experiences out weight the negative, and it has inspired me to focus on personal growth. My experience of gratitude is so huge that I am committed to bettering my role in the world everyday so that I can not only recreate these experience for my family again and again but also pay it forward as you have, and get to a place where I can be leaned on as a sponsor for others in need. It is people like you that keep the world such a wonderful place. I will do my best to help as many other people in my daily life and to help create a mentally of giving, supporting and encouragement. Thank you, you have impacted my being more than you know, I am forever grateful for the sponsorship and the inspiration!
Sincerely Yours,
Kristin Young
Creative Tool Box Consulting and/or Fireside Adventures and/or Vancouver Outdoor School are three departments of the same company. Creative Tool Box focuses on Corporate get away and team building events, Fireside Adventures are getaway adventures for kids and/or adults, and Vancouver Outdoor School works as day camps for kids of various ages.
