Donor Spotlight

Celebrating those who give back

Name: Matthew Tyson
Title: Owner Century Sound Sales & Service

We reached out to area business owner Matthew Tyson of Century Sound to find out why he chooses to support the STEAM Education Centre and how you can too! Matthew has helped the STEAM Centre since the beginning through lending speaker equipment to allow the Centre to host various events and has since created an onsite e-waste bin to help our re//BUIILD.IT Community Computer Donation program connect more people in our community. 

When did you get involved with STEAM?
I am going to have to give that credit to my daughter. When you were located on Wellington Street we were there for the open house because of her involvement with robotics. Everyone involved was very engaged and truly supported the kids curiosity and willingness to learn.
 
Thank you for creating an onsite bin to help our re//BUILD.IT Community Computer Donation program. Tell me why you created the onsite bin and who you hope that it will help?
We are a consumer electronics store and our customers want to get rid of replacement equipment responsibly. We made ourselves a STEAM repurpose centre to accommodate our customers and allow them to help the STEAM Centre with providing repurposed computers, speakers, keyboards, monitors and mice.

How many computers do you think you have donated?
Already there have been over 20 computer devices and accessories donated to the re//BUILD.IT Community program.

What made you decide to give your first donation to the STEAM Centre?
My team and I are big supporters of supporting our community. To provide kids with the opportunity to take equipment apart, learn all the components and their functions, then come up with solutions and that's what experimenting is all about... Whether they prevail or fail - the process of the steps makes everyone a winner.

How do you think local businesses can support charities like the STEAM Centre in other ways?
Awareness. It’s all about helping to raise awareness. Approach local businesses. Build awareness and keep it out there. Support your community!

We recently did a campaign to help local downtown businesses pivot during the pandemic to online options.  How does raising awareness online help everyone- businesses and charities alike?
If you are part of the downtown or a part of the group and you generate excitement then people get excited.  I can tell the difference that when I am on social media it generates a lot of excitement for downtown. Raising awareness is up to people like you or me to do that extra shout out and tell family and friends and that word will spread. It works.  

Your daughter is now a summer student leader at STEAM. What do you hope she gets out of the experience?
The cool thing about that is that she gets to interact with people and experience structure and see all of the processes that she would not experience in a classroom environment. The STEAM Centre provides hands- on education that not only benefits my daughter but all the kids who get involved. 

Join Matthew and help donate used computer equipment to our re//BUIILD.IT community computer donation program by emailing [email protected] or phone 226-212-0048 or donate financially at: www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/steam-education-centres-incorporated/?sm=1


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