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3 Community Events Within 7 Days
Community Involvement has always been a priority here at The Sign Depot. Whether it’s being involved in a community project, or learning about Social Enterprise, we want to take part.
Being connected to the community is a big part of my role here. I am present at most Chamber of Commerce meetings, I attend networking events, participate in Peer2Peer groups and do my best to support our clients with their endeavours.
This week is no exception. I attended the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery #CultureTalks last Thursday. I went to the D2L Night School #LearningCulture event last night and tonight I will be at the Shopify #ShopClass19 session.
Each event I attend is inspiring and I appreciate the information that is given and do my best to absorb it all and bring it back to implement here.
Here’s the recap of the week.
Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery #CultureTalks took place at the historic Walper Hotel and Caroline Robbie of Quadrangle presented about the “hub” culture that is happening in Toronto at The City of The Arts Launchpad. It is a space dedicated to creating synergy between different art forms. Learning about the design of the building and the projects that are emerging from it was very motivating. So much so, that I plan to head there this summer to tour the building and meet many of the creators that base their work there.
The D2L Night School #LearningCulture discussion was a fantastic event where John Baker-President-CEO of D2L, Nick Oddson-Chief Technology Officer and Chantal Thorn-Director of Learning and Leadership Development spoke about incorporating learning into the workplace as the labour force changes over the course of the next decade. It was conversation between the panelists and the attendees and everyone’s knowledge of the culture surrounding learning evolved. I also enjoyed the office tour given by D2L’s Dan Congdon (who also took my picture with their Moose Mascot). I have witnessed many of their signs being created in our workshop, but seeing them installed in their space at the Tannery brings it full circle for me.
Tonight I will be at the Shopify #ShopClass19. We are clients of Shopify for our cottage signs website and I am enthusiastic about tonight’s class. I have attended their info sessions before and which provide great networking opportunities and lots of valuable marketing information that I implement into our online advertising. Tonight’s topic is email marketing, so be sure sign up for our monthly newsletter and see first hand the knowledge I gained from attending.
Want to connect with us? Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TheSignDepot or connect with us in person at our upcoming Open House by registering at https://guestlist.co/events/609114
Carving Out A Spot In Our Community
Bring On The Buddy Benches
After the success of the Buddy Bench project last spring, 91.5 The Beat approached us to once again be part of their next round of School Tour Buddy Benches. We were so happy to see how well received they are at the local schools and gladly accepted the chance to sandblasted the cedar with donor recognition names and the BUDDY BENCH text for this next round of school visits.
Positive Community Involvement
Today the first of the fall Buddy Benches was awarded to St. Matthew Elementary School in Waterloo Ontario. One of our Sign Depot Facebook Fan Page members, Jennifer Beckett, sent us this emotional message regarding today’s presentation, along with a picture of her son sitting on the new St. Matthew’s Buddy Bench.
St. Matthew Catholic School in Waterloo had some sad times recently with the tragic passing of a student over the summer followed by the arson of the school’s only play structure a few days before school started. A visit from 91.5 The Beat and the donation of a Buddy Bench from The Sign Depot & Cedarland Lumber was just the warm hug this wonderful, caring school community needed! Thank you!
To see that this is going to make such a positive impact on the school that has experience such hardship recently is exactly the reason why community projects are so important. To learn more about this project and what exactly a Buddy Bench does for the school’s students, visit our post COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT – THE BUDDY BENCH. To give your school a chance to receive a Buddy Bench of their own, enter the contest at 91.5 The Beat.
Did your local school receive a Buddy Bench? We would love to hear about the positive impact it is making. Leave a comment below so we can learn more about our locally Buddy Benches.
Recognize Your Community of Donors With Donor Recognition Signage
Donor Recognition
According to LIFT PHILANTHROPY PARTNERS there are 3 strategies for proper donor recognition.
- Thank them
- Recognize them
- Tell the story
Each of these areas can be covered by choosing unique signage for donor recognition. Recently we had the opportunity to fabricate a donor recognition sign structure for St. Paul’s University College, which is on the University of Waterloo Campus in Waterloo Ontario. This unique design was developed here at The Sign Depot with the assistance of ABA Architects, also located in the Region of Waterloo. This sign structure has become a focal point in the building and incorporates the 3 strategies listed above. First it thanks the donors for their community involvement. Second it recognizes each donor and their contribution to St. Paul’s and third the arch structure conveys the message of the donors lifting up St. Paul’s and incorporating their spirit into the building.
Below you can see the beginning stages of the sign on the layout drawings and the final installation.
As the donor recognition sign came together it was decided that the sign should light up as the students, professors and staff of St. Paul’s walk through the arch-way. This signals how important their donors are to them by making them take notice of all those who chose to donate to St. Paul’s.
Donor Recognition Walls and Signs
Whether you are part of a University, a Social Enterprise or a Not-For-Profit, making the effort to recognize your donors is a great way to keep in touch with them and their community involvement efforts. It may encourage them to become lifetime contributors to your organization. We can create unique displays of for donor recognition walls, commemorative plaques and memorial signs. Visit our CONTACT US page to connect directly with the Sign Depot designers to see how your donor recognition project can be implemented into your establishment.
Community Involvement – The Buddy Bench Project
Buddying Up With Our Community
Recently we were contacted by our local radio station 91.5 The Beat to see if we would be interested in their latest School Tour project. They were looking for a business that values community involvement to assist with their BUDDY BENCH initiative. We were glad they came to us and we could help with the project. This may have you wondering what we mean by “BUDDY BENCH” but we think the video below describes it best.
How A Buddy Bench Works
This 3 minute video is a great example of what a BUDDY BENCH can do. Many children often struggle with making friends, joining in and/or finding someone to talk to. The idea of putting a BUDDY BENCH in a school playground assists the children that need a little help in this area. They sit on the bench and a spotter will come and sit with them and strike up a conversation. This little engagement can do a lot to improve the mental health and/or self esteem in kids. It also assists with stopping bullying at school.
Bring On The Buddy Benches
91.5 The Beat is donating BUDDY BENCHES to 3 local schools. Together with our friends at Fiddlesheads and Cedarland Lumber we assisted them with this important community project.
Our involvement was to engrave the words BUDDY BENCH along with the sponsors names into the wooden bench. To do this we sandblasted the bench pieces to carve into the wood. Yesterday the first bench was donated to a local school and as you can see it was all smiles when it was received.
Proud to donate this “Buddy Bench” to #MillenWoodsPS – All thanks to @Fiddleheads_HN @TheSignDepot & @CedarlandLumber for making this happen 😁🙌 pic.twitter.com/dMKOCMUYWw
— 91.5 The Beat (@915theBeat) May 10, 2018
Thank you @915theBeat for your lovely donation of the Buddy Bench for @MillenWoods. Everyone deserves to have a friend. See someone sitting alone? Go say HI. 👋🏼 Be their buddy. 😊 #WRDSBlive pic.twitter.com/nsLL9ZAEa0
— Waterloo Region DSB (@wrdsb) May 10, 2018
Sandblasting wood is something we have been doing for over 25 years. If you want more info about our sandblasted wood signs please visit our portfolio and if you see something you are interested in please CONTACT US!
Small Business Week – Collaborate With Your Community
Small Business Week In Canada
The third week of October is Small Business Week here in Canada. It is a time for those in the small business sector to seek recognition or learn about business opportunities in their area. This year we are shining a spotlight on community involvement. We try to collaborate with local organizations and events that involve art and design. Recently we sponsored FLUXIBLE a UX Design conference with a theme of art meeting tech.
This year we provided in kind signage and Peter had the opportunity to present at a “BROWN BAG LUNCH SESSION”
Peter from @TheSignDepot is talking about sign design at today’s brown bag lunch session. #Fluxible2017 pic.twitter.com/4k8H3B5nQN
— Fluxible (@Fluxible) September 20, 2017
Later this month we will sponsoring the Grand River Film Festival. This year’s theme is about tech design which is something we are passionate about as we are always looking for ways to innovate and create new trends in the sign industry.
The Importance Of Community Involvement
As a small business we think it is very important to be involved in our local community. You can find us at Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber Of Commerce events, local conferences, community gatherings, charity fundraisers and more.
We understand the importance of community involvement and we constantly look for ways to connect with others in the area. It helps us understand what people are looking for, know what they can expect from us, connect with our peers and find out what everyone thinks of our brand. It assists in finding out what is working us and where we can improve. All of these factor in our future goals and help us concentrate on our efforts locally.
Celebrating Small Business
How do you celebrate Small Business Week? We would love to learn more about your business as well. Leave a comment below with what Small Business means to you and how you help others with their small business ventures.
Ways To Increase Your Visibility In Your Community
Top 5 Ways To Improve Your Company’s Visibility Within Your Community
- Do Not Put It On The Back Burner – Many businesses say that they are going to eventually work on their company’s visibility, but you need to state when this will happen. Figure out how you will accomplish this and set a timeline for each step of the way. Once you have put these steps of action in place be sure to celebrate each milestone that you execute and achieve.
2. Get Your Business Involved In The Community – Sponsor local events that are a good fit with your brand. Be sure to bring signs that represent your business so that you can be fully present during the event. Always follow up with the people that you met during that time to get their feedback about how they liked the event overall.
3. Network Within Your Community – Join local business groups such as your local Chamber of Commerce and see what opportunities they provide for networking within the local business community. Make sure to contact the business representatives you connected with to see how you can work together going forward. A B2B relationship can be lucrative for both sides.
4. Find Local Influencers And Make Them Your Ambassadors – Check out who is talking about your local area on social media and connect with them. Find ways you can work together to increase your visibility to their audience, and be sure to reciprocate by sharing their content with your networks as well. It makes for a win-win situation for both parties.
5. Refresh Your Signage – Your business signs are 24 hour advertisements for your business. Nothing captures attention like a bold new custom sign in front of your company. Be sure to increase visibility by adding vinyl window graphics and A-Frame signs. The ensures your business is noticed by both vehicle traffic and those walking by.
These simple steps will quickly improve your company’s stature. By making a few changes it will make a positive impact on your business and your company will become known as an establishment that your community respects and connects with. This keeps your business top of mind with those within your vicinity, which makes it more likely that they will give their business to your company down the road.
Community Involvement – Getting Involved In The Grand River Film Festival
Getting To Know GRFF
Earlier this year the artistic sign we created for Ivan’s Reitman’s Montecito Restaurant brought a lot of media attention our way during the Toronto International Film Festival, otherwise known as TIFF. This grabbed the attention of our local film festival known here in Kitchener Waterloo as GRFF which is short for Grand River Film Festival. This film festival looked like a great partner for our community involvement projects and decided to be involved with GRFF for the first time.
Headed For The Big Screen
The Grand River Film Festival provided us with a postive experience. The films were from a variety of genres, ranging from comedic fiction to real life modern day documentaries. Several of the screenings involved Q&A sessions with people involved in the film that was played that day. It added insight into the film and gave you a connection to the message surrounding the it. Adding artistic value and culture to our community is something we can really get behind. The Grand River Film Festival gave our local area a reason to celebrate the great events that happen in our community and displayed a true sense of all that goes into creating a film project. Finding out about films that are not mainstream (yet) gives you a great idea of what is coming next in the film making industry. It was an exciting festival and we were glad to be involved. We were even more excited to see our logo on the big screen!
Grand River Film Festival Attendees We Want To Hear From You!
Did you attend the Grand River Film Festival this year? We want to know what films you viewed and what your enjoyed most about your experience! Leave us a comment on FACEBOOK or send us a TWEET! We are always looking for ways to connect with our community both online and in person!
Signs That Canada AM Likes The Kitchener Waterloo Community As Much As We Do
Creating Community Involvement
Last week Canada AM came to the Kitchener Waterloo area to broadcast their television program from the St. Jacobs Market. The majority of that episode focused on the community involvement in this region, whether it be at the rural community, or the technology sector. Here at The Sign Depot we are thrilled to be part of both of those communities as well.
Crafting Custom Signs For The Market Community
We have been involved in the St. Jacobs community for years, whether it be businesses within the St. Jacobs Village, for farms in the region or at the St Jacobs Market itself.
Communitech Community Spotlight on Canada AM
While Canada Am spoke a lot about the local market they also stopped by the Communitech Hub to see how the technology community has evolved over the years. We were thrilled that many of the custom signs that we have created for the HUB were featured in their video tour of that section of The Tannery Building.
Collaberation Is Key When It Comes To Community
If you watched the episode (if you missed it just click the image above) you would have heard them speak about collaberating within the community whether it be rural community, the urban area, the educational sector, regional governement or the business community. The key to this community is collaberation. It’s what gets things done. It also encourages giving back to an area that is rich is culture and heritage. That is what creating a community like this is all about. Seeing how everyone can come together to evolve the area.
Our next Sign Depot collaberation project is with the Grand River Film Festival happening next month. Keep watch on Facebook and Twitter feeds for information about this year’s event. We look forward to this new sponsorship project for the company and hope you get a chance to attend this event and other arts and culture activities in the Kitchener Waterloo Ontario area.
Signs Of Community Involvement – TEDx
Connected Community
We want to ensure that our community involvement brings people together for a common good and this new event was something that was recognized as a positive change for our local area. With our past community involvement in TEDx Waterloo we were thrilled that TEDx Kitchener came to us to bring their branding to centre stage, especially since the theme for this event was Fostering Connectivity.
For highlights from the event be sure to check out their #TEDxKitchenerED hashtag to see what those in attendance thought of the conference.
Grabbing The Attention Of An Audience
As a way to introduce TEDx Kitchener, a dimensional sign was created to draw in the audience members. This stand up sign stood out from the stage but did not take away from the speakers’ presentations. It is imperative for signs to have a unique look without becoming an eye-sore, so this one was designed for modern style of the TEDx brand. To acheive the clean look the sign letters were router cut on our CNC table.
Vinyl was applied to the letters and they were placed into a custom platform piece to hold up the sign.
While following the TEDxKitchenerED twitter feed, we noticed that the sign grabbed the attention of audience member @KWSarah when she tweeted this pic
All set for #TEDxKitchenerED tonight ! #kwawesome pic.twitter.com/NPERJQTuJv
— Sarah Bach (@kwsarah) May 20, 2014Community Involvement In Your Area
Community involvement has always been a part of what we do here at The Sign Depot. We want to know how you get involved in your community. There are many ways of doing so. Do you volunteer? Donate to a charitable organization? Participate in community events? How do you give back to your community? We look forward to hearing about it! Leave a comment below, post on our facebook page or send us a tweet. We are always looking to connect with local community as well as our online community. We think that is great way to begin Fostering Connectivity.
Cupcakes, Custom Signs And Community Involvement
Creating A 3 Dimensional Store Front Sign For Cristina’s Tortina Shop
When we were first contacted by Cristina’s Tortina Shop to make a 3 dimensional sign for their cupcake business we were thrilled. This cupcake shop knows what it means to create a community. See what we mean by viewing the Global News Showcasing Capabilities spot about Cristina’s Tortina Shop in Brampton Ontario.
Update – City News has also done a segmentFinding Ways To Stand Out In The Community
As you can see this cupcake shop is great place to stop in and grab a treat, but it is also creating community awareness about the capabilities of individuals. Being a very unique spot, they wanted an out of the ordinary look for their exterior business sign. Creating a custom sign that qualified for a sign permit under the Brampton sign regulation by-laws was a challenge that the sign experts here at The Sign Depot were willing to tackle to accomodate the client’s request.
The final decision was to create a 3 dimensional sign that would suit the business and the surroundings. The sign needed to stand out, but not be viewed as an eye-sore. It was customized with vinyl graphics with the store name and logo affixed to the LED illuminated sign.
The end result is a sign that reflects the heart-warming cupcake business and provides the owner with a way to stand out from the surroundings.
If you find yourself in Brampton Ontario, we suggest you stop by Cristina’s Tortina Shop. The atmosphere is wonderful and cupcakes delicious! How do we know that the cupcakes taste so great? Let’s just say we’ve sampled the goods from Cristina’s Tortina Shop
Community Involvement Where You Live
Are you involved in creating a better community? We would love to hear your story of community involvement. Leave a comment and link below and we will be sure to check it out!
