By Laura Melanson, Red Balloon Relations

A year and a half ago, I reached out to Dave McKeage on a whim. I had just started my own communications consulting business and was eager to make connections with anyone I could. I had been watching Brigadoon’s progress from afar and, like many Nova Scotians, had heaps of admiration for what they were doing. Not knowing if there was even a hint of an opportunity to work together, I sent Dave an email, hoping he would remember having met me many, many years before (when I was just 13, my Mom worked at the Canadian Cancer Society’s Camp Goodtime, where Dave was working at the time) and would be willing to get together to catch up.

Sure enough, Dave responded to my email, saying of course he remembered me and would be happy to catch up. Not too many days after that, I arrived at his office tentatively and left two hours later filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

I had gotten to see the architectural drawings, hear Dave’s undeniable passion first-hand, and sit around the Boardroom table made of driftwood. That was part of it. But the thing that really stirred me was that Dave had offered me a challenge unlike any I had received before.

Upon concluding that I must provide support to Brigadoon in some way or another, his reply went something like this: “Think of something you can do for us that will benefit you in the process. Maybe it’s developing a skill set you want your business to have or experimenting with an idea you’ve always wanted to try. I want to know what’s in it for you. Figure that out, then come back.”

Apparently, he doesn’t know how this is supposed to work…But that’s the thing with Dave, and with the entire Brigadoon vision and the community that has formed around it, nothing is ever one-way only. Nothing they receive is ever just donated, because they’re always looking for an opportunity to give something of value in return.

I followed up with Dave a month or two later, telling him I was ready to come in to pitch an idea. That day, with a couple of sample books on the table, and Jenn, Dave and I passionately and excitedly talking it through, the concept of a compelling, visual, one-of-a-kind book to tell Brigadoon’s story was born.

The benefit to them was that it would capture their most memorable emotions and moments in one place, it would give some of their major contributors a voice, and it would be a long-lasting memento.

The benefit to me was that I could tap into my passion for creative writing, collaborate with friends and colleagues I adored along the way, and create a tangible product that would demonstrate my capabilities and Brigadoon’s magic; two things I was happy to show off.

With that rationale in mind, I got the go-ahead to prepare and submit a brief proposal, outlining the concept more fully. From there, I got Dave’s blessing to recruit a team. A few months later, we had a project brief and creative concept to take to the Brigadoon Board. And now, a team of creative professionals are hard at work trying to encapsulate the magic of Brigadoon in a keepsake that will mark this defining moment in Brigadoon’s history: the year the dream became a reality.

The people we have had the privilege of interviewing and photographing for this project so far are confirming what I’ve suspected all along. Brigadoon’s story is a rare one of determination, compassion, perseverance, and hope. It is an inspiration and a homegrown success to be proud of. Whether you’re an active supporter or a from-a-distance fan, I assure you this book is going to be worth the wait.

After living in Toronto for several months, completing my first semester of a Post Grad in Sport and Event Marketing, I was desperately missing Halifax and all I wanted to do was be able to return to the Maritimes. My mother told me about Brigadoon and suggested I send off a resume and cover letter. 2 weeks later and after several phone calls and an interview via Skype I was Halifax bound!

In early January I arrived at Brigadoon and quickly realized that it was not your typical office setting. Instead, Brigadoon offered an organic environment to work and to learn with truly talented individuals who are passionate about Brigadoon and what the organization wants to accomplish. The Brigadoon office is comprised of 4 full time staff; Because of the size of the office, it provides great learning opportunities in your own discipline, as well as opportunities to assist with projects, sit in on meetings and learn from other disciplines.

Not only does Brigadoon’s fulltime staff have an abundance of knowledge to offer, Brigadoon has a network of past and present board members as well as volunteers which are always available if you have a question or need advice.

As the Fund Development Intern, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside the Director of Fund Development who has encouraged and given me the opportunity to take tasks and make them my own. Over the last 4 months I’ve had the opportunity to try my hand at many different tasks including learning database software to designing hand-out materials as well as developing a fundraising campaign and acquiring donations for this year’s Black Tie Bingo. These tasks have taught me challenging skills but have also allowed me to improve on soft skills such as time management and prioritization which are both important skills to master in everyday life as well as in the business world.

Throughout the last several months it has become clear that Brigadoon has provided me with the perfect opportunity; allowing me to return home as well as gain enormously valuable work experience in a field I’m interested to eventually work in.