For 20+ years, AXA XL (formerly XL Catlin, formerly XL) has provided uninterrupted volunteer support to Meals on Wheels. Way back when, their staff committed to delivering meals to MOW clients on Route 12 two days a week every week of the year. For a time, they delivered meals to both Route 12 and Route 8 but cut back in recent years and now deliver Route 12 weekly.
We couldn’t help but do the math – even if you round down to one route over 20 years, the number of volunteer hours is impressive. With two staff going out on each delivery and each delivery taking approximately 1.5 hours, over 52 weeks that adds up to 156 hours a year. Over 20 years that number grows to 3,120 hours. To say that we are grateful is an understatement.
Volunteers truly are the lifeblood of Meals on Wheels and this level of volunteer commitment to a Bermudian charity by one of the island’s most prestigious international firms is nothing short of extraordinary.
Moira Lindo has worked for AXA XL in its current and former incarnations for 28 years. She is an Executive Assistant who coordinates their Meals on Wheels volunteer team and had this to say, “Our people get a lot out of volunteering and our company encourages it. We have a roster of approximately twenty people who rotate into the Meals on Wheels schedule. They are a very, very committed team and do it because they want to. They enjoy it.”
“We always send out a team of two – the buddy system. This gives colleagues a chance to work alongside others from our Bermuda office who they may not interact with in their daily work, which is an added bonus. Many have been on the roster for years. We even have a few individuals who have left the company but have remained on our Meals delivery team. And on occasion, children and grandchildren of our colleagues volunteer to assist with the delivery of meals, giving them an early introduction to community service.”
Ms. Lindo notes that their team also supports MOW during AXA XL’s annual Day of Giving where staff are encouraged to participate in various projects supporting local charities. “A group of us regularly choose Meals on Wheels for that day – cooking, dishing up food, painting, cleaning windows – whatever needs to be done.
As for the oversight and organization of this effort, at the end of each month a sign-up sheet goes out to the team for the following month. With the routine in place and 20 people on the roster, there is never an issue filling the slots. We’ve got it down to a science.”
As we all know, the world we live in is a busy, often hectic place. Time is perhaps our most precious commodity. So when people commit their time to ensuring the well-being of others, they are giving a most valuable gift. On behalf of Meals on Wheels and our clients, we thank AXA XL for their time and dedication, for making Bermuda a better place one delivery at a time.