The Paul Penna Award is given annually to an Agnico Eagle employee who best exemplifies the philosophies of our founder, Paul Penna. Through community involvement, dedication and hard work, Mr. Penna left an enormous impact on the communities he was part of, and helped change the lives of many people. The award has been established to ensure that his values continue to play a major role in the identity of Agnico Eagle as a company and are enshrined within the culture of our employees.
Each year, our colleague Eric Côté travels to different parts of the developing world, helping local communities and families to obtain clean drinking water and to spread a message of hope and healing.
In the past five years alone, he has made 13 trips to countries including Peru, Panama, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand and Cambodia.
While the missions themselves are organized through a global outreach organization, Eric uses his personal time and his own money to participate and make a difference in the lives of others. The experience – and what he receives in return – is worth it.
“These trips allow us to give hope to those who need it the most,” says Eric. “We visit with families and children, both those who are fortunate enough to be healthy and those that are sick, to help them understand their value in this world and encourage them by knowing that a God loves and cares about them.”
A world away from Eric’s day-to-day job as a production engineer at Agnico Eagle’s Meadowbank mine in Nunavut, in countries like Nepal and Bangladesh one of his main tasks is to distribute and teach people how to use water filters for communities that are lacking clean water.
Just one of these filters can provide up to 300 litres of clean drinking water per day to a family and has a lifespan of 10 years. “We make sure to place them strategically in the community, often on the property of a local church, so that everyone in the community has equal access and can learn how to use the filters properly.”
Eric’s missionary work has also translated into personal development and growth. “I have been on so many trips at this point that I am now a team leader. I’ve learned a great deal over the years including how to adapt to whatever situation presents itself and how to approach and interact with people. Most importantly, I have also learned that wherever you go, people are fundamentally the same and it is important to show that you care.”
His efforts have not gone unnoticed by those closer to home either and among his biggest supporters are Eric’s Meadowbank colleagues who have supported him throughout the years and have themselves contributed thousands of dollars to purchase water filters for Nepal and Bangladesh.
“One of my colleagues is in fact from Bangladesh and one day she brought me a suitcase that she had filled with school supplies for me to take along and give to children there. As a thank you, the local pastor recorded a video to show her what a great difference she had made to children living thousands of kilometres away. It was a great moment to be able to share with her.”
In recognition of Eric’s dedication and work in developing countries, Agnico Eagle is proud to contribute CDN $10,000 on his behalf to Global Ventures, an organization that specializes in short-term mission trips.
Congratulations Eric, mission accomplished!