In last week’s Business Notes I mentioned the very successful Stuff the Truck fundraiser. Unfortunately I didn’t have all the information that I should have included.
As the old radio commentator Paul Harvey used to say, “here’s the rest of the story.” And it’s an amazing story.
Juice FM has been organizing the Stuff the Truck fundraiser for a decade and this year 129,000 lb. of food was collected.
“That’s over $308,000 for the Cowichan Valley Basket Society and our local food banks,” explains Julie Wister, National Traffic Manager for Vista Radio.
“We live in a wonderful caring community and the support of everyone who took the time to donate is overwhelming,” adds Wister.
“So many working families, those on fixed income, or simply have fallen on hard times, will have a much merrier Christmas! This amount of donation could potentially stock the food banks through 2019,” says Wister.
Businesses, local organizations, and private donors were invited to step up to accept a Corporate Challenge and purchase a pallet (or more) at a cost of $500 per pallet.
“Derik and his team at Save-On-Foods received a list from the Basket Society that is compiled of their ‘most used’ items. These items can include flour, toilet paper, powdered milk, canned goods, toiletries, basic household items that some families struggle to afford. All of these goods are packed onto a pallet, which when fully loaded weighs 1,000 lb!,” Wister said.
The response was overwhelming.
Congratulations to everyone at 89.7 Juice FM and all the kinds folks who donated to this great cause.
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Here is some more heartwarming news for the holiday season from Debbie Berg at the Cowichan Women Against Violence Society, the Cowichan women’s winter response shelter operator:
“This week Santa delivered a shiny new TV to the Cowichan women’s winter response shelter just in time for its opening day tomorrow,” Berg says.
After hearing about the shelter and its wish list, Thrifty Foods Duncan employees pooled their money to make the purchase.
“What a wonderful gift from the neighbours,” Berg added.
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At the December Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce board meeting, a new executive was voted in by the board of directors.
The 2019 Chamber executive is: vice president, Ruth Hartmann (Hartmann Interior Design); secretary treasurer, Danielle Killam (Grant Thornton LLP); president, Chris Duncan (MNP LLP); 1st vice president, Carol Messier (Maple Bay Marina), and past president Julie Scurr, (Coast Salish Insurance & Risk Management).
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Just in time for the dawn of a new year, Economic Development Cowichan has released two exciting new videos to represent the Cowichan region.
Cowichan: Hipper Than You Think, celebrates a new generation of business owners and trendsetters attracted to the lifestyle, recreational and cultural amenities in the Cowichan region.
The music video features more than a dozen businesses across the region and offers a quick glimpse of Cowichan’s appeal as a destination for cycling, rowing, festivals and culinary experiences.
“We’re excited to capture the unique attributes of our communities, and showcase the dynamic ideas and people that continue to be attracted to the Cowichan,” said Amy Melmock, manager of Economic Development Cowichan. “These productions are part of our commitment to promoting our region as a desirable place to live, work and invest in.”
The second new video profiles the local success story of Greg Adams, founder and owner of the Laketown Ranch outdoor event facility. Through activities like the Sunfest Country Music Festival, Adams has brought new recognition and prosperity to the Lake Cowichan region while contributing to regional economic development.
The video describes how Laketown Ranch has evolved into a major destination that attracts more than 10,000 people for Sunfest, which features some of the biggest names in country music.
The videos can be viewed on the Economic Development Cowichan website at www.ecdevcowichan.com.
In 2019 the videos will be a feature in EDC’s business attraction activities, and will be shared widely with tourism and business organizations across the Cowichan region.
