W. Brett Wilson believes success in business is not only measured by the bottom line on a budget statement. Success is also measured by what a business owner or entrepreneur gives back to his community.
“It feels good to do good for your community, in whatever form of time or money, no matter how big or small, you can give,” Wilson said as the keynote speaker at the annual Giving Back at Breakfast event for the Kelowna and Westside Community Food Banks held at the Global Fitness & Racquet Centre.
At the instigation of fitness centre staff, the inaugural Great Kelowna Food Fight was officially unveiled at the breakfast.
The community challenge is Wilson’s brainchild in his effort to encourage both local businesses and the public to support the efforts of the food bank and the people that it serves on a daily basis.
Also participating in the fundraising venture are Urban Fare, Bentley Motorrad and Tommy Gun’s Original Barber Shop.
The food challenge will run from June 1 and July 30. Each of the participating businesses will provide collection boxes where guests may drop off donations and in return, enter to win a grand prize worth $4,000.
The four businesses will challenge each other by keeping track of the donations by weight.
At the end of the two-month period, the business with the largest total weight of food will be declared the winner.
The food bank will collect the donations and record the weights throughout challenge.
“I’m pleased to see the staff at Global Fitness & Racquet Centre throwing out the challenge for other businesses in the community,” said Wilson, who owns the fitness facility, one of his growing number of business interests in Kelowna.
“It’s a fun way to get donations to the Kelowna food bank and help raise awareness of this important organization.”
The $4,000 grand prize includes:
• $1,000 cash from Global Fitness & Racquet Centre, 1574 Harvey Ave
• $1,000 gift certificate from Urban Fare, 3155 Lakeshore Rd.
• $1,000 gift bag of goods and services from Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop, 500 Banks Rd.
• $1,000 cash from Bentley Motorrad, 1110 Stevens Rd.
The public is encouraged to make food donations at any of the above four locations.
Each time a donation is made, an entry ballot may be submitted and there is no limit to the number of ballots a person can make, as long as they are making a donation each time.
“We are elated that Global Fitness & Racquet Centre has taken the initiative and launched such a comprehensive campaign on behalf of the Kelowna food bank,” said Tammy Jackson, with the Kelowna Community Food Bank.
“It’s our intention to make this an annual event, that will grow and have more local businesses participating in the years to come,” added Darcia Fenton, general manager at Global Fitness & Racquet Centre.
“The community does a great job of supporting the food bank and the grand prize of $4,000 will help recognize these efforts.
“It’s important to have equal support from our local businesses and this initiative is intended to do just that.”
For Wilson, who came to national attention as a member of the Dragons’ Den television show, this project appeals to what has changed his life.
“I used to always think that success was measured by how well I was doing in business, so working seven days a week to achieve success was just a given,” Wilson said.
But two bouts with cancer and a realization of the need to repair his relationships with his kids has changed his outlook on life.
Wilson now champions the idea that supporting charitable causes is both good for the community and good for identifying your business with a positive branding that both your customers and staff will equally feel good about.
“No act of charity is too small,” Wilson said.
