« To get together is the start, to stay together is a progression, to work together is success. »
- HENRY FORD
A program with a lot of potential on the horizon!
The idea of initiating such a program in the company came from the fact that managers and employees were motivating each other to practice outdoor sports and to challenge themselves mentally and physically. So Alex Léveillée took the initiative of contacting adventurer Frédéric Dion to discuss the possibilities his experience could bring to a workplace made up of highly motivated people from all walks of life. So many ideas came up that they decided to keep them all (or almost all). And so the Horizon Program was born. What does it involve?
- A discovery program offering a variety of moderate-intensity activities to introduce people less familiar with this great open-air playground, and ;
- An expedition, consisting of a group of seasoned hikers who carry out several training sessions over the course of the year, culminating in a major accomplishment spread over several days in a location chosen as a team at the start of the season.
The goal?
To connect employees by committing to a healthy lifestyle through sport, and to surpass themselves as a team. Because every participant has a role to play in creating a perfectly balanced team. That even includes (and especially) every single person who cheers us on before we leave and proudly welcomes us back to the office, eager to hear all about it. So it all began in 2022, when the first delegation of 10 employees spent a year learning and training under the mentorship of Frédéric Dion, culminating in a 3-day, 50km fully autonomous hiking expedition on the sentier des Caps in the Charlevoix region.
Adventurer Frédéric Dion's tips for our first expedition...
2022
Sentier des Caps
The first edition of the program was already guided by a clear vision of the ambitions and potential that lay ahead for a team in full effervescence. Several activities were therefore organized to introduce employees to this vision, starting with an emotional (literally) Via Ferrata outing at Parc de la Rivière Batiscan, followed by a training session given by Frédéric on the essentials to be prepared for an expedition. Colleagues were also able to exercise their survival skills in the forest when, divided into several teams, they had to build the best makeshift shelter using only materials found in nature. Finally, in October, the first expedition team of 10 motivated humans ventured to Charlevoix to complete the Sentier des Caps. 50km of hiking, 3 nights of complete autonomy, 5 summits, 345 singalong songs , 1874 anecdotes to tell and a team united by a unique complicity.
2023
Adirondacks
As the saying goes, “Alone we go fast, together we go far.” Well, fast or not, the Ambra Solutions team has gone far! Last October, the Trois-Rivières-based company ventured into the Adirondack trails. Over 50km, 1900m of ascent and the two highest peaks in the mountain range were climbed by the 15 acolytes over 4 days in complete autonomy.
Wanting to push back the team’s limits and excited by the previous year’s accomplishment, the colleagues got together to select a challenge worthy of their ambition. Their compass pointed across the border to the 46-summit American mountain range. So, wearing their 40lbs packs containing their entire lives for the next 4 days, each excursionist set off for the summit of Mount Marcy and Algonquin Peak through rocky, steep and excessively technical terrain. One adventure followed another, starting with the search for a campsite at sundown after the first day of hiking where the 15 people realized they had nowhere to sleep. Problem-solving skills were put to good use and the search was fruitful, unearthing a lean-to that became the group’s base camp and the home to lots of laughter, anecdotes, line dancing and comforting rehydrated meals. With much lighter packs and very heavy legas, the 15 employees returned from the trails in one piece, with no injuries or disasters, but with plenty of stories to unite them, reflecting on all they have accomplished.
2024
Coming soon
A PROGRAM ADAPTED TO EVERYONE
This partnership will allow employees to surpass themselves through accessible outdoor activities such as hikes, training and initiation activities. It will also allow them to accomplish great challenges such as hiking the Chic-Chocs, exploring the Groulx Mountains in complete autonomy or climbing a 4000 m summit in Europe.
Adventurer well known for his numerous exploits around the world, Frédéric Dion will play the role of guide and motivator throughout this partnership. He will present conferences throughout the year to equip employees to push their limits and achieve the goals they have set for themselves.
In 2022, with the labour shortage and all the challenges in the workplace, it is important for Ambra Solutions to offer its employees a motivating and dynamic professional environment. Physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits are simple ways to maximize daily results, strengthen teams and increase collective performance.
