In the fourteen-and-a-half years that they've worked together, MP Paul Steckle and his Executive Assistant Greg McClinchey have always been on the lookout for worthwhile causes. So when they heard about Project Porchlight, they were eager to get involved.
As seasoned politicians, both men firmly believe in the power that each citizen holds in his or her own hands. "I always hear our politicians tell us why we can't do things," says Mr. McClinchey. "What's the saying 'Don't be afraid that a small group of individuals can't make a real change because in fact that's the only group that ever has.' I think (Project Porchlight) illustrates that perfectly. It's so beautifully simplistic and it gives people, individuals, old, young, whatever, the opportunity to make a little bit of a difference. "
Mr. McClinchey certainly practices what he preaches! Last December, he and a team of volunteers began delivering CFLs door-to-door throughout communities in his Huron-Bruce riding. All told, they delivered well over 7,000 light bulbs!!!
For Mr. Steckle, who helped oversee the Huron-Bruce distribution, being involved with Project Porchlight was also important on a personal level. "As someone who is now past mid-life, I want to leave an environment for my children and grandchildren that is better than what I've come to know," Mr. Steckle says. "All of us have responsibility in this. In every sense, each one of us has some part to play and this is just a small part, perhaps, but it's an important part."
