In Good Company: Auction fever hits big at Bullfrog Power

This blog series highlights outstanding companies who have gone above and beyond their support and fundraising efforts for WWF through the Living Planet @ Work’s Spring Things campaign. Funds raised through the Spring Things campaign go towards WWF’s conservation work.
“Ten seconds. Nine seconds. Eight seconds.” As Sandra Piroteala counted down the final moments of the silent auction, eager staffers crowded around the bid sheets in the Bullfrog Power boardroom. At stake were one-of-a-kind prizes, all donated by the company’s senior management team.

The luck winner of a 50-50 draw.  © Bullfrog Power
The luck winner of a 50-50 draw. © Bullfrog Power

With only seconds to spare, the sales team snuck in the winning bid on a backyard BBQ hosted by the vice-presidents of operations and sales, featuring a ping pong tournament.
Other prizes up for auction included private piano lessons with the VP of sales and marketing, a certified Royal Conservatory teacher and dinner with the big cheese himself, CEO Peter Melanson.
Raising money for conservation isn’t a hard sell for this eco-conscious group dedicated to advancing green energy in Canada, and Bullfroggers proved to be a generous bunch. Over the course of the Spring Things campaign, employees raised more than $14,000 for WWF.
Polar Bear pretzels for the bake sale © Bullfrog Power
Polar Bear pretzels for the bake sale © Bullfrog Power

Sandra organized a jam-packed schedule of fundraising and engagement events from February to May: polar-bear-inspired bake sales, Sweater Day, an Earth Hour lunch ‘n’ learn complete with green-themed fortune cookies, and more. To make each event meaningful, Sandra used information from WWF to tell her colleagues more about the causes they were supporting.
Peter Melanson and his team of Bullfroggers were also out in force at the 24th Annual Canada Life CN Tower Climb for WWF, looking very sharp in green headbands, green wristbands and bullfrog-emblazoned shirts.
The teams preps for their Climb at the base of the CN Tower © Bullfrog Power
The teams preps for their Climb at the base of the CN Tower © Bullfrog Power

It all culminated with a “Panda ambush” at the company meeting on May 14 when the WWF mascot made a surprise appearance. It was the perfect finish to a highly successful campaign. Bullfrog Power may not be a large company, Sandra says. But like its big-voiced namesake proves, small things can create a mighty impact.

Bullfrog Power Snapshot

Number of employees: 65
Locations: Toronto (headquarters), Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver
Corporate culture in a nutshell: collaborative, passionate, everything environment and green energy!
Years involved with Living Planet @ Work: 3
Motivation to support WWF: Bullfrog Power supports WWF for their ongoing efforts in conservation of fragile ecosystems and the education they provide to the general public about sustainable practices and green energy.
Number of campaign participants: 40+
Total amount raised: $14,004.52
Advice for workplace fundraisers:  Campaigns such as Living Planet @ Work are a great way to engage employees — and employee engagement is at the core of a hardworking and fluid organization.
Lasting impressions: “Bullfrog Power is a proud supporter of WWF-Canada and we had a chance to prove it during all of our fundraisers for the Spring Things campaign. This year was my first time participatingin the WWF CN Tower stair climb — it was a great opportunity for the Bullfrog Power team to come together for a good cause and to compete with WWF supporters from across the city.” – Peter Melanson, CEO
Learn more about how your company can get involved with the Living Planet @ Work program and the many ways you can bring sustainability to your office and support WWF’s critical conservation work.