As a kid, I watched reruns of The Waltons — a 1970s TV drama about a family living in rural America during the 1930s and 1940s.

The oldest son was John Boy, an aspiring writer who chronicled his family’s story in a journal. At the end of every episode, he sat at his desk on the upper floor of a white farm house to chronicle the day.

Something about his storytelling, his perspective on life spoke to me. He wrote about the good of people and the lessons he learned. He observed how his family carried on even in the face of hard times. He wanted to see the world but stay grounded by home.

I grew up on a farm with immigrant parents who survived WWII. My large extended family (13 pairs of aunts and uncles plus more than 60 cousins) kept me rooted in what’s important.

Early on, I learned about working hard, looking out for others, showing kindness to strangers, and living with faith, even when times were tough.

After attending journalism and graduate school, I took my experiences to the non-profit sector. Working at national and local organizations, I combined my skills in strategic communication with my love for philanthropy.

Now, I am living a “John Boy” life.

From my home, I hear how charities — big and small — are extending good to others. I take those stories to create custom content for organizations across Canada. Whether it’s a funding proposal, case for support, annual report, stewardship piece or something in between, I put my best into everything so others can give their best too.

• Fred DeVries, CMP

  Principal & Chief Content Officer

  Write Words Ink & Company

  As a certified Communications Management Professional (CMP), Fred creates and delivers strategic communication tools for charitable and not-for-profit organizations across Canada. He is a Gold Quill Award and Silver Leaf Award recipient, and a longstanding member of IABC (International Association of Business Communicators).