SUMMER INTERNSHIP 2006
		Andrew Uyeno - BComm, McGill CEI Host Organization - Santropol Roulant CEI Funding partner - CIBC

Hello fellow CEI interns!
 
My name is Andrew Uyeno and I'm the CEI intern at Santropol Roulant. I have one semester left of my Bachelor of Commerce degree at McGill and I'm thrilled - as well as a little bewildered - to apply what I've learned at such a unique non-profit organization over the next three months.
 
>From our mission statement: "Santropol Roulant is a Montreal-based, not-for-profit organization founded and run by young people in the community.  We bring people together across generations and cultures through our innovative meals-on-wheels service, our intergenerational activities and volunteer programs…We engage a diversity of people to take an active role in their communities through initiatives that address the health and food security needs of seniors and Montrealers living with a loss of autonomy.

We deliver about 90 meals a day, with volunteers doing about half the work if not more.
 
Although the core of Santropol Roulant's operations is its meals-on-wheels service, explaining what this work environment is like is a bit tough. Today is my fourth day of work. So far, I've shredded turnips, met dozens of volunteers, participated in an Executive Director-led Brazilian dance during a weekly staff meeting, delivered meals, made t-shirts, and I'm gradually figuring out how the many ringing phones and corresponding messages are all magically resolved in this open office. At that staff meeting, we also all shared who our first slow-dance partner was and which song we danced to. (Since this is going on the internet, I will keep both under wraps.)
 
There are hand-made posters and art all over the place (made with supplies from the arts and crafts shelf), as well as plants, photos, couches, volunteers, their sign up sheets, a life-size plastic owl, and the more standard office stuff, in English and French... except the books and documents here tend to have a green/sustainable/social/progressive/organic/local/politically radical perspective. Santropol merchandise is all over the place as well. In the basement, there are used clothes and furniture which will soon be for sale. The basement also holds a bike workshop and huge compost containers with thousands of worms inside (we compost lots of kitchen waste). It smells weird in there. A few blocks away is our rooftop garden endeavor where we grow some of the food we deliver - and help others grow food for themselves. Had I not chosen to stay in school for one more semester, my boss and I would have been in the same graduating class.
 
It sounds eccentric, random, and perhaps disorganized and in a way it is. But in another sense, it all stems from the friendly, enterprising, and progressive culture of this place. Everyone gets along and has fun, the right things get done, and the organization thrives.
 
So how do I fit in? Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I do yet. My main projects involve organizing outdoor sales to raise funds for our services. Two occur during a major Montreal festival and one is an event specific to Santropol Roulant. I'll be selling all those used clothes, furniture, books, gadgets, etc. in the basement as well as gathering some more, and I'll probably sell a lot of food, too. I also will be working on press releases and other media-related activities.
 
My summer is shaping up to be pretty great and it sounds like yours are, too.
 
Regards,


Andrew