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Successful businessman's passion is philanthropy By Nathan Howes OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville's Chris Giles is a businessman by trade, but a philanthropist in his heart. The 46-year-old's mission in life is to make a difference -- whether it's through his company, Dynamic Connections (DC) or his M.A.D. (Make A Difference) movement. DC is a third-party logistics company that co-ordinates the movement and storage of its clients' freight to various locations worldwide. Giles created the company in June 2008 after selling his old business, Connect Logistics, a year prior. He realized he would need another job soon after, as the sale wasn't enough for him to retire on. It was during his time off that Giles discovered he could also do more for others. "I realized how confused I was working with lots of schedules and deadlines. When you don't have those, you realize there are lots of people out there who need help," he said. "It might be small or large, but just to make somebody feel good actually makes you feel better." It was around the same time he got the idea for M.A.D. "Anybody can make a difference in someone's life just by making a small effort." Giles said people are often too busy worrying about themselves and not really focused on anyone else around them. "When you do something nice for somebody, who wins more? It might actually be the person ond annual Toys 4 Tots Christmas Party, which he sponsors through DC. Last year, he donated around nine skids of toys, he said. "If I use my voice correctly, one person's efforts can be expanded to other people. In this case, I'm using my voice for this party to get maybe 125 people to come, and I will encourage them to bring toys," said Giles. "(For) someone who can't make it, I will encourage them to bring toys to our office." As part of the human element of M.A.D., Giles said its social functions have a message. The message behind the inaugural Toys 4 Tots party was to make Christmas special for somebody who needed it -- he has yet to pick the message for this year's holiday function, but says he may base it on encouraging people to consider the food bank when grocery shopping. The other element to Toys 4 Tots involves his son's hockey team. The team often holds Christmas parties where each player gets $50 to buy a gift for a disadvantaged child, Giles said. "I ask them to buy multiple toys, which gives them a perspective on giving and feeling good about people. We also ask the children to invite people to watch the game or to come to that particular evening when we donate the toys. If they do come, we ask them to make a donation of a toy," said Giles. "In the end, we're able to get the masses to participate in the event. "They then talk about the M.A.D. movement and Toys 4 Tots. It creates a vehicle for people to attach onto. Through these efforts, I expect to make a difference for somebody," he explained. Giles' most recent M.A.D. event -- an evening cocktail party, raised over $6,000 for the Rebecca Run to find a cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) -- an inherited neuromuscular disorder caused by the progressive degeneration of cells in the spinal cord and brainstem. "Through the efforts of the run we do and also through a dinner we hold, we've raised, as a gang, $2 million," Giles said. "It was just See All page 15 9 · Friday, December 9, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER DYNAMIC GROWTH: Chris Giles from Dynamic Connections Inc., heads a company that just opened a second location in Longbeach, California. Giles also started the M.A.D. movement, (Make A Difference) in 2008 and is having his second annual Toys 4 Tots Christmas Party on Dec. 16. who did it because the feeling you get from doing something for people makes you feel so great," said Giles. Giles organizes various social functions as part of M.A.D. Next month, he will host his sec- Renovate · Decorate · Celebrate Time is Precious, Mistakes are Costly and Decorating is complicated. Darryl R Demille Ins Agcy Ltd Darryl Demille, CFP 905-842-1020 www.darryldemille.ca Andrew Heideman 905-829-0018 Angelo Gualtieri 905-257-7773 Deborah Bartucci 905-337-3276 www.andrewheideman.ca www.angelogualtieri.com www.autoinsuranceoakville.ca Gift Certificates lable vail Ava Inquire Inq q about your Personal P ersonal l Design Consultation Stacey Sutherland 905-339-3276 Stephen Ostapchuk 905-238-5643 Daniel Durst 905-847-1898 www.danieldurst.com At Fitz by Design we are committed to creating breathtaking, p s that are functional onal spaces a unique as the individuals living in them. www.insuranceinoakville.com www.stephenostapchuk.ca State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Aurora, Ontario 1010072