Sudarshana Chakraborty, PFP

After a long and cold winter, it is finally Plus 26 degrees with bright sunshine in Fort McMurray! As much as I wanted to go for a sunrise hike in the Boreal Forest, Smiley Cookies held me back! I volunteered today for Smiley Cookie decorating. in collaboration with TimHorton's in Fort McMurray, Northern Life Health Foundation is raising funds to support our local hospital in Fort McMurray. 100% of the proceeds of the sale of each Smiley Cookie is donated to the Northern Lights Regional Health Foundation. Those who know me, know my eternal struggle about cooking and baking. Yes, I am one of those rare breeds who burns a toast in a toaster, ribs on a bar be cue. Everytime, I cook or bake, even my dogs go find shelter under the bed, in their kennel or safely outside in the yard. If kids do not behave properly in my community, parents very seriously tell them that Aunty Sudarshana will come and cook supper for the kids for the next couple days. Yes, I am proud to say, I am that bad a cook and baker. Obviously I was super proud , when even after my reputation, my friend Chelsea called me to volunteer to help out with Smiley Cookie event in Fort McMurray. Thankfully my friends at TimHortons Baked the cookies, and I helped decorate them. I have full confidence on my fellow Fort McMurray community members to savor these cookies and held raise funds for the local hospital!

Sharing knowledge is part of what I do as an Investment and Retirement Planner at RBC. When I was invited by the Sanatan Mandir Cultural Society of Fort McMurray to discuss about Financial Planning, I felt incredibly honored. It was a super busy Saturday, last week. But when it is my fellow community members and friends from India, looking for answers, I am always at the forefront to deliver the advice. Along with my Relationship Manager Financial Planning partner Drashti Danak, I brought in Luke Siemens from RBC PH&N Investment Counsel. I shared my knowledge about Retirement Planning and Estate planning. Luke, on the other hand presented a very timely presentation of " Effect of Tariff and Trade War on investments". Creating a Bucketing Strategy for each of your goals, Planning for each of the goals including retirement and Estate and Staying invested to the course is all one needs to win in the long run!

Last Saturday was a busy Saturday for me, volunteering for three causes for the entire day, before and after work. I just could not say no, when the Northern Lights Hospital Foundation reached out to me requesting to volunteer for the Northern Lights Spring Fling! I have been in the community for 20 years. I have seen the community grow bigger and bigger every day! When I first came to Fort McMurray, population was younger. Whether it was a new birth of a baby or a hay fever for a toddler, or later a broken bone for a younger child, the hospital kept us all tightly bonded as a community, taking care of us. It is a sole hospital for a huge and aging population along with the newer young population. I remember when I broke my ankle, slipping on black ice, I dragged myself to the hospital. I had to wait for 15 hours to see a doctor. Ofcourse my neighbors, picked up my 4 year old daughter from her daycare and dropped her with me at the hospital. Hospital staff, were kind enough to come out and give my the then tiny little kid some food and toys to play with, when I turned blue in pain, waiting for the doctor. Things have drastically changed now for better, thanks to the Northern Lights Health Foundation. I can never say enough of what they do for our community in sickness and health. It was an honor for me to volunteer for their Spring Fling Fund raising event. It was so inspiring to see donors from community donating to help make the event a success!!