Road Trip!

Picture of Cheryl Mouland
Cheryl Mouland
Cheryl Mouland lives in Oshawa, Ontario with her husband Terry and her two children, Abigail and Cameron. She has 3 cats, loves to read and really enjoys the music of Michael Buble.

Summer is here!

School is out, the kids are free, and the countdown for the long awaited “family vacation” is finally winding down. Some of you will be jetting off to sunny beaches or hopping on trains to visit family. You may even be sailing off into the sunset on a luxury cruise ship. You are blessed people indeed. Why, you ask? You are blessed because you’ve managed to avoid the bane of all family travel, the perpetual thorn in the backside of any summer vacation, the family road trip.

Ah….the family road trip. How the memories, (or nightmares depending on how you look at it) come flooding back. Growing up, the majority of our family vacations involved rather lengthy road trips. When I say lengthy I don’t mean seven or eight hours on the road. I’m talkin’
Fort McMurray, Alberta, to Chance Cove Newfoundland—lengthy. We’d usually set out in the wee hours of the morning. My Dad would convert the backseat of our car into a giant bed, so my brother and I would sleep while he drove through the night. It was pure genius on his part. He could drive all night, make some great progress on the road and have perfect peace and quiet while the rest of us slept.

Waving at “moo cows”

I have to give my parents credit. They did their very best to adequately arm themselves for hours and hours in a vehicle with two young children. This was back in the 80’s, long before ipads, hand-held video games and portable DVD players. Entertaining kids on a road trip actually involved creative planning. My parents’ first line of defense was usually the old favorites, I spy, singing “Down by the Bay”, waving at “moo cows” and trying to get train conductors to blow the whistle as we drove by. Then came the more interesting approaches, one of which involving a search for Chief Fallen Rock. Whenever we drove past a caution sign for “falling rocks” my Dad would tell us to start looking, because the sign actually meant that an old Indian Chief named “Fallen Rock” was in the area, and he needed us to help spot him.

RoadTrip-1 Wikki CC 2.0Mom and Dad’s best boredom buster however, was The Treat Bag. This was their secret weapon, their ace in the hole, no fail, guaranteed to keep them quiet and happy, road trip sanity saver. Every two or three hours, my brother and I were allowed to reach into a giant plastic bag that had been pre-stocked with coloring books, crayons, storybooks on tapes, sticker books, activity pads and anything else that might possibly keep two kids from going stir crazy in a car for hours and hours on end. Whatever we pulled out of that bag kept us happy, quiet and out of each other’s faces until the next “reach” into that bag.

Are we THERE YET???”

Despite Mom and Dad’s best efforts, there always came a point when my brother and I would snap. We got along well for the most part, but spending that much time in a confined space, with a younger sibling well trained in the art of aggravation, would push Job himself over the edge. “Mom…he’s on my side of the seat.”  “Mom, she’s singing along with the radio.” “Mom, he’s breathing too loud.” “Dad, tell her to stop staring at me.” “Mom…he stinks.” “Are we THERE YET???” “I have to pee REALLY bad.” And then, Mom and Dad would snap and the threats I’m sure every child has heard on a road trip would follow. “Don’t make me come back there!” or “If I have to turn this car around and go all the way back home, I will!” and the one that struck fear in heart of every child, “If I have to pull this car over you will be very sorry.” If I remember correctly, Dad did pull the car over on occasion, and yes, we were usually very sorry.

In spite of all the drama, aggravation and sometimes tears, I still have many happy memories of our family time together on the road. I remember singing songs with my Mom and telling her to “harmonize me” as we sang. When my Mom and brother were asleep, I got to have long chats with my Dad while leaning over his shoulder as he drove. My brother and I would tell knock-knock jokes, play rock-paper-scissors and draw pictures together. We had fun and made the best of our time together.

Apologize profusely

RoadTrip-2 Wikki CC 2.0Our family road trips weren’t all bad. In fact, when we had our children and were planning our first family vacation, my husband and I didn’t think twice about how we’d reach our sunny destination. We packed up the car in the wee hours of the morning, tucked our little ones into the back seat, and headed off to make our own road trip memories. When we reached our destination, the first thing I did was, call my Mom and Dad and apologize profusely.

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Code of Conduct for all Mission Partners of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda

1. Purpose
To provide mission partners with guidelines regarding their expected behaviour while undertaking work on behalf of TSA. The code of conduct states TSA’s commitment to operating in an ethical and legal manner that aligns with TSA’s mission, vision, values and Orders and Regulations. The code of conduct serves as a foundational standard for other conduct-related operating policies.

2. Basic Principles
All mission partners are expected to behave in ways that are aligned with TSA’s mission and values.

2.1. Mission Statement:
The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.

2.2. Vision Statement
We are an innovative partner, mobilized to share hope wherever there is hardship, building communities that are just and know the love of Jesus.

2.3. Core Values:
Hope: We give hope through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Service: We reach out to support others without discrimination.
Dignity: We respect and value each other, recognizing everyone’s worth.
Stewardship: We responsibly manage the resources entrusted to us.

3. Conduct Expectations
The code of conduct provides guidelines for mission partner conduct. The code of conduct cannot cover every possible situation; mission partners are responsible for considering each issue in the context of TSA’s mission and values, recognizing that individual conduct may be understood as a reflection of TSA’s values, image, integrity and public trust. If a mission partner is unsure of a situation and needs guidance about their conduct or has concerns about the conduct of another person, they should speak with their supervisor or HR/officer personnel representative.

Mission partners will:
3.1. Comply with TSA policies and procedures.
3.2. Follow all applicable laws and at no time participate in, or assist others to participate in, any illegal, criminal or unethical activities.
3.3. Conduct themselves at all times with honesty, integrity and transparency.
3.4. Perform their defined duties to the best of their ability.
3.5. Treat others, including other mission partners, funders, clients and the public, with respect, dignity, fairness and courtesy.
3.6. Promote and support a work environment that is inclusive of all people and respects their unique abilities, strengths and differences.
3.7. Identify actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest and disclose them to their supervisor to help minimize or eliminate the impact of such conflicts, which could influence or appear to influence their judgment and actions. Refer to GV 01.003 Conflict of Interest policy for additional direction and requirements.
3.8. Collect, use and disclose confidential information only in accordance with TSA policy and applicable privacy laws. Ensure all records, documents and communications are accurate and that privacy is maintained as required by GV
01.009 Privacy.
3.9. Conduct all business, service and ministry activities in a responsible manner, consistent with TSA’s values of hope, service, dignity and stewardship.
3.10. Always strive to create and maintain the highest health, safety, wellness and environmental standards in all facilities and work areas.
3.11. Take every reasonable precaution to protect the safety of oneself and others and report accidents (however minor) and near-misses (accidents that almost happened), risky behaviours, and instances where equipment and/or building
deficiencies could compromise the safety of a workplace.
3.12. Use information technology, including internet and email, in a professional and appropriate manner, in accordance with TSA policy (IT 02.001 Computers and Information Technology Acceptable Use).
3.13. Ensure they are fit to work and able to perform assigned duties as required by their job description safely, satisfactorily and in compliance with HR 10.002 Substance Impairment in the Workplace.

TSA expects mission partners will not:
3.14. Act in a discriminatory, harassing or violent way toward others.
3.15. Use their position in order to gain an advantage over or exploit the vulnerability of others.
3.16. Destroy or take for personal use any items belonging to or safeguarded by TSA without prior written approval.
3.17. Solicit (money or goods) from clients, donors, vendors, contractors or any person in a position to benefit from their association with TSA. Mission partners will adhere to the requirements of HR 04.002 Gifts, Speaking Fees, and Testimonials policy.
3.18. Give the appearance that they are speaking on behalf of TSA when not authorized to do so or engage in any activity that would negatively impact TSA’s reputation, brand or public image, including the use of personal social media
accounts.
3.19. Initiate contact with the media or respond to their inquiries, and instead will refer all media inquiries to their supervisor, their public relations representative or TSA’s communications department.
3.20. Use, abuse or misuse paid time, TSA resources or the equipment assigned to them.
3.21. Misuse their authority, abuse power, act irresponsibly, retaliate against someone who reports misconduct or exclude others from workplace events.

4. Officers: Orders and Regulations
In the event of a conflict between the provisions of the code of conduct and Orders and Regulations, the latter shall take precedence.

5. Violation of the Code
If a mission partner believes the law, the code of conduct or TSA’s policies may have been violated or are about to be violated, they should inform their supervisor or report their concern through the Whistleblower hotline (see GV 01.008 Whistleblower policy).

Violation of the code of conduct is a serious matter and could result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.