“It’s in you to give, and when you give, it also gives back.”
In this month’s newsletter, we offer our sincere thanks to Ron Sidon for his dedication to Tetra Society. Ron has been a volunteer with Tetra for over 10 years and we want to celebrate his commitment to Tetra’s work and the ingenuity he brings to every project he works on.
Ron was attracted to volunteering with Tetra Society because he feels it is important to share his experience and skills. In his own words, “when you give, it also gives back”. Ron has always been passionate about designing and conceptualizing solutions for unique mechanical and technical projects. As an engineer and a dedicated volunteer, he completes two to three projects with Tetra Society each year. In the last 10 to 12 years, he’s completed about 30 projects that have improved the lives of countless people. Amazing!
Ron shared that his interest in improving the lives of others extends beyond volunteering with Tetra. He mentors engineering and business university students. He has assisted with design projects such as a robotic apparatus to safely transfer patients from a hospital bed to a gurney and Covid air purification systems for classrooms. And he was the major donor and volunteer manager of a 2-year project in Tanzania, helping to create a water system that benefits 3500 rural subsistence farmers. He has also contributed to work with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, supporting efforts to making public infrastructure safer and more accessible to blind people.
It is clear Ron is a conscientious problem solver and we are so blessed to have him on our team with Tetra Society. A great example of his amazing work ethic is his recent work on a custom children’s play apparatus for Centennial Infant & Child Care. This is the largest Tetra project to date that Ron has designed and built, completing the project with the help of a local cabinet maker. The play apparatus includes stairs, safety railings, various swing apparatus and two slides into a ball pit.
Ron always sees a project through from start to finish, recalling five projects for Canadian wheelchair ball hockey players including modifications to attach hockey sticks for players.
He enjoys working independently as well as encouraging others to get involved with volunteering with Tetra. And he’s happy to call up skilled professionals he knows and get them involved in a project.
A fun fact, Ron is a proud grandpa. He has six grandkids and the oldest just started university at Dalhousie University. It seems working hard runs in the family. Ron sets a great example for us all, as he also makes time for fun. In his spare time, he plays tennis, goes bicycling, and enjoys traveling with his wife.
Ron improves the lives of so many individuals, their families, and their communities. The gift of his work extends to so many places, from the child’s playroom to the hospital, from the hockey arena to the farmers of Tanzania.
Thank you, Ron, for your dedication to Tetra Society over the years. We are so lucky to have you on our team! We admire your commitment and journey, and we sincerely thank you for all your contributions now and, hopefully, in the future with us too.
Curious about trying something new? Interested in contributing to a team of hardworking and dedicated members like Ron? In his words “anyone can volunteer.” We all have different skills to offer in a friendly and committed community of volunteers with the Tetra Society and the Disability Foundation’s many programs!
Learn more and sign up by emailing volunteer@disabilityfoundation.org.