My travel and exploration blog “where is Andrew now?” is back - with a fresh new look.

I am currently writing about my two-week journey across Canada on board VIA Rail’s The Canadian - their flagship transcontinental rail journey. My travels included a visit to Winnipeg, two days in Jasper and five days in Vancouver and Whistler!

Check it out, and subscribe to my travel blog… I’ll be keeping it going with travels near and far; not just one big journey around the world, but rather the everyday journey full of the exploration I see throughout life.

Lots of charities are getting into social media these days - which is totally awesome. Philanthropy is meant to stem from a personal connection that leads one to feel compelled to help: so cultivating that connection through social online connections just makes sense.

Some foundations do a great job with their online messages; others kind of suck at it.

Here are a few that I’ve read over the last year from two healthcare foundation twitter accounts: @BloorviewPR and @sickkids. These are my favourite tweets because they catch my attention, tell a story and get me to read more. They’re powerful short messages that create a connection.

1. Are you a “SickKids Kid”? Four people have already shared their stories. Read them and then share your own!
2. Joey has an infectious spirit and a rare gift for making others feel at ease. Read all about Joey’s SickKids story.
3. Giving: ‘The greatest feeling you’ll ever have’
4. On the BLOOM blog: ‘Your shoes drive me crazy’
5. Sticks and stones might break bones, but words cut deeply too.
6. Nick’s time at Bloorview inspired him to pursue work in neuroscience.
7. Learn how Greg pays it forward.
8. Bloorview helps Claire reach her full potential with state of the art prosthetics.
9. For disabled youth, cooking or doing laundry can be overwhelming. Bloorview helps kids adapt
10. Having a disability won’t stop these kids from making music. See how Dr. Tom Chau’s innovations make it happen
11. Becoming a pilot is more than just child’s play for Melanie. See how Bloorview has made this dream come true
12. At Bloorview it’s family first! See how Adam’s sister is involved in his care.
13. It’s not all work & no play at Bloorview. Read about the impact of therapeutic clowns.
14. Justin Hines fell in love with music & performing for his class at Bloorview. He now performs internationally
15. Bloorview is creating a World of Possibility for kids with disabilities.
16. A tragic car crash left Holly a paraplegic and brought her to Bloorview. Read how therapy helped her move again

What do you think? Are these tweets effective? What about them do you think makes them effective?

I’m very happy to say that I am embarking on a new community involvement experience: the University of Guelph Alumni Association’s Board of Directors.

I’m touched to have been nominated, honoured to have been accepted last night and excited to serve and learn - this is my first board experience.

It’s a pretty darn exciting time to get involved with this as well: Guelph is starting an ambitious and super-cool development project: The BetterPlanet Project. Copying from their website: “…the BetterPlanet Project is our vision of how teaching and research achievements at the University of Guelph can spark positive change in the world.” I love the way that it’s about advancing the way the university can have a positive impact on the whole world; and how timely as our world is on the cusp of very positive and urgent change.

I graduated in 2006 from the University of Guelph-Humber: an innovative concurrent degree/diploma partnership between Guelph and Humber College. It’s exciting to connect more closely with Guelph as an alumnus and also further the profile of Guelph-Humber alumni.