Music and dance helped Transport Canada employees launch their workplace charitable campaign Thursday to raise money for local charities.
Transport Canada dedicated this year's campaign to their colleague Leo Paul Regnier who died when he and his wife were hit by a sports car at a downtown bus stop last week.
"Leo was such a gentle giant. No matter what happened, no matter what went on, he always kept his cool and if he got angry in anyway he would just smile suddenly," colleague Jeannie Graham told CTV Ottawa at Thursday's launch.
"You could hear his laughter across the room, it was just incredible."
Transport Canada is one of the largest departments involved with the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC).
Employee fundraising efforts will benefit United Way, health partners or charities of their choice.
In the national capital region, the government campaign accounts for about half of the money raised for the United Way campaign in Ottawa and the Outaouais.
"Public servants as workplace givers are among the most generous right across Canada," said CTV community ambassador Max Keeping, who attended the launch.
"Public servants, because they've already dedicated their lives to the country, also see the need to reach out to the community."
The department's fundraising goal for this year is $330,000. The GCWCC hopes to raise $22 million.
