The new guy, part 4: When the going gets tough

Whicker Being a new guy on the job does have its advantages. Back in my early working years, when I was doing time in retail, I used my newness to defuse many an ill-tempered customer's rants. Working in a resort town retail shop meant that we rarely regular customers. Every day, week, and month brought in different people. Therefore, I could keep claiming to be the "new guy" for quite a long time and no one but my co-workers would ever know the truth.

"Excuse me, clerk boy. I need you to pick through this stack of stoneware plates and find the ones that aren't flawed." (Yes. I was actually called that.)

"Ma'am, this is an outlet store, so all of these plates will have at least minor flaws. That's what these outlets sell. We call them seconds — slightly imperfect."

"Does that include the employees?"

"No, ma'am. I'm actually new. It's my first day."

I'm glad that those days are well behind me. To a certain degree, I suppose we all must pay our dues while working through a career. Tough situations build character and stamina. They also act as a mirror, showing us our strengths and weaknesses.

Today, we hear a lot about tough times and tough times ahead. While some of it is true, there is also much sensationalism and way too much worry. We are right to be concerned, and it is smart to be engaged, but constantly dwelling on the negative devalues the positive. Our community is struggling through the current economic uncertainty, but there are also great things still happening despite our financial valleys.

Here at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and its two divisions, Bonita Springs Community Foundation and the Good Neighbor Community Foundation of Sanibel-Captiva, we are able to clearly see both sides of the recession — the negative and the positive. Being the new guy here has afforded me the opportunity to spend a lot of time observing. The trend that is predicted for the near future is that philanthropic giving will lessen as donors and potential donors experience financial losses. Indeed, we have already seen that, and our local nonprofit organizations are struggling against funding losses while trying to maintain present levels of support to the community. Just recently, the Foundation has seen a significant increase in grant applications from nonprofits and a huge increase in scholarship applications from students. The need isn't going away. In fact, it is growing.

COURTESY PHOTO Julia East, president and CEO of Southwest Florida Community Foundation, speaks at the SWFAS Adult Detoxification Center building dedication last week. On the positive side, I have also seen residents answering these challenges by doing even more than before. People are passionate about helping others and about promoting

important causes. They understand that now is not the time for pulling back under anxiety and fear.

There is much happening at the Foundation and at its two divisions that are wonderful examples of community support during tough times. On Feb. 26, our CEO, Julia East, spoke at the dedication of the new Southwest Florida Addiction Services Adult Detoxification Center building, which Foundation grants helped to build.

Out on Sanibel Island, our Good Neighbor division helped raise $70,000 during the annual Sanctuary Community Golf Challenge. Likewise, the Foundation recently awarded $15,000 in grants to 12 nonprofit organizations through its Capacity Grant Cycle, and our Bonita Springs division partnered with the Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization to begin the creation of an edible schoolyard garden for Bonita Springs Middle School.

Good things are still happening all around us.

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation has been supporting the communities of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry through endowed funds for 33 years and during that time has provided more than $39.5 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves. For more information, please call 274-5900, or visit our Web site at www.floridacommunity.com.