February 17 is National Random Acts of Kindness Day. At NYCM, random acts of kindness align with our North Star: a set of deep-rooted beliefs that are used to guide the decisions we make each day. The North Star we follow consists of five points including Purpose, Culture, Strategy, Ecosystem, and Leadership.
At NYCM, employees are encouraged to nominate their fellow team members on a company forum when they witness or hear about them leading by example or going out of their way to show acts of kindness and assistance. To commemorate National Random Acts of Kindness Day, we are highlighting some of these thoughtful, compassionate, and caring actions by NYCM team members living their North Star.
Paintings with Purpose
In January NYCM employees had the opportunity
to purchase some of the prints and art adorning the walls of the Edmeston
offices. For many employees, appreciating these prints of scenic overviews, floral arrangements, and
wildlife scenes has been a part of their daily routine since the first of these
prints was hung in 1962.
When news of the print sale arrived, Sheli
Deming of our Customer Experience Team thought of one particular print near her
former office space called “Evening Rehearsals” by Terry Redlin. The piece
depicts a quiet winter scene of horse drawn carriages bathed in the town’s
holiday lights.
Sheli had made her appreciation of the print
known to her fellow Customer Experience Team member, Hannah Backus. She told
Hannah how she found peace and comfort in the print, and when she was having an
off-day, she’d always find herself navigating
to it. One day the two were discussing the print sale and “Evening Rehearsals”
when Hannah had some news to share.
“Hannah told me that she purchased that
picture for me,” said Sheri. “She was so excited that she was able to do it.”
Sheli said she believes Hannah demonstrated
her “Purpose” in giving her the piece.
“We work very well together,” said Sheli.
“Hannah has a big heart and truly exemplifies genuine care for others. She
truly went above and beyond for me, and I am looking forward to finding the
right spot for my picture. Thank you, Hannah!”
Thank you, Hannah, for your thoughtfulness and
for following your North Star!
Charitable Champions
When New Year’s Day passes, people tend to
change their focus from the giving spirit that comes with the holiday season to
more personal aspirations of self-improvement and other independent resolutions
for the year to come. For many people this is a welcomed change; a sort of
spring cleaning for one’s own psyche. But for others, looking out for those in
need is a yearlong priority.
Two of those people are the NYCM Special
Investigation Unit’s own Mike Mura and Amanda Scaturo. After Mike and Amanda
won their team’s fantasy football championship league this January, they were
looking for a way to commemorate such a hard-fought accomplishment. They
decided what better way than to make a joint donation to the Sherburne
Christmas Cares Committee?
The Christmas
Cares Committee is a charitable organization founded by NYCM employees in
our Sherburne office about 25 years ago. The committee holds a variety of
fundraisers every year to raise money to purchase Christmas gifts for local
families in need. Last year, the Christmas Cares Committee anonymously donated
gifts, food, and candy to 46 children and their families.
Christmas Cares Committee and Special
Investigations Unit member Kathy Wagner said because of Mike and Amanda’s
generous donation, the committee now has a great start to its fundraising for
the 2022 holiday season.
“It wasn’t a matter of having to or doing the
right thing,” said Wagner. “It was the selfless act of wanting to make a
difference in the lives of children.”
Thank you, Mike and Amanda, for maintaining your giving spirit and for following your North Star!
Cold Snap Companion
This winter season has seen more than its fair
share of cold snaps and conditions conducive to frozen pipes, leaving some homeowners worried
about maintaining the heat in their homes and ensuring their pipes don’t freeze
and burst.
The extreme cold weather may have been just an
inconvenience for some, but for others, it has been a serious threat to their
property and comfort. When Erin Pondolfino of our Customer Experience Team learned
that one of her fellow team members was without their furnace and was using
fireplaces and space heaters to stay warm following some flooding issues last
year, she decided she had to do something to help.
Amy Pavelka of Customer Experience said, “Erin
immediately started planning a way to help our team member, knowing the
discomfort and potential pipe issues this could cause. She ended up delivering
firewood to this person on her day off. What a great showing of genuine care
for others and embracing community.”
Thank you, Erin, for looking out for your
teammates and for following your North Star!
It’s not uncommon to hear of stories like
these when it comes to NYCM Insurance employees. To learn more about our
culture, click here.
