At Arnhem Earthmoving and Mechanical, blue is the colour of kindness and positivity. It lifts the mood and spreads smiles at this workplace.
For the past few years, employees have donned their blue shirts and Dolly hats for Do It For Dolly Day and they come together from scattered Northern Territory locations to stop for a while and take stock of what the day is about.
Business Administrator Jodie Simpson said they have a staff barbeque and everyone is happy to take part.
“We stop work, get together and refresh and think about the message of Do It For Dolly Day – kindness and respect,” she said.
As well as raising awareness of the day – by snapping and sharing photos of workers in their blue shirts and staff taking the conversation into the community – the company also donates much-needed funds to Dolly’s Dream.
Jodie said getting behind Do It For Dolly Day was a natural step for Arnhem Earthmoving and Mechanical.
“Many of us have young children and the thought that something like what happened to Dolly Everett could happen to them is sickening,” she said.
“If we can do something, then we should.”
And changing things for the better for young people in any community starts with a change in the adults around them, Jodie believes.
“When we pull on our blue shirts and get together for a barbeque, we are aware that what we are doing is considering the values of kindness, respect and calling out wrong doing.
“And it reminds everyone to check in with their kids, their nieces and nephews or any young people in their lives to see if they’re okay and to pass on the message of being kind and also speaking up if something is wrong.”
The values ingrained in Do It For Dolly Day are so important at AEM, they don’t wait a full year to reinforce.
Every Friday is now a ‘blue Dolly Day’ when the staff wear something blue and remind themselves of the merit of kindness.
“We end our week on a warm and positive note by doing this,” Jodie said.