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WHAT’S IN STORE: Caffeine drip, please

A look at how local businesses are helping kids through hospitals, camps, and homeless initiatives
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Save-On-Foods, headquartered in Langley, recently announced the donation of $2.1 million to BC Children’s Hospital. (Special to the Langley Advance)

I love that I can dedicate my weekly column to so much good news and so many good deeds stemming from our business community. Langley is a very generous and giving community, for which it should be proud.

I want to spotlight just a few things that have or are going to be happening in the coming days.

First up, Save-On-Foods – which is headquartered here in Langley – just announced a $2.1-million gift to the BC Children’s Hospital. The money was presented at the Miracle Weekend Telethon – bringing the tally during the past 30 years to $30 million for the cause. Wow!

This year’s total represents another year of successful fundraising through their store-led initiatives, such as barbecues, hotdog sales, and pie throwing; as well as corporate initiatives, including the Round Up for Kids campaign, where customers can round up their bill to the nearest dollar and donate the difference, and the Save-On-Foods Charity Golf Tournament, which raised $613,831 in one day, said Save-On-Foods president Darrell Jones.

“Every year I am inspired by the outstanding support Save-On-Foods team members, customers, suppliers and business partners show for BC Children’s Hospital,” said Jones.

“Because of the Save-On-Foods community, our company is able to donate millions of dollars to this amazing organization and help children and families from across the province get the care they need. I am so grateful for the heart our people put into fundraising and am so proud to present this cheque on behalf of all of them,” he added.

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Helping send kids to camp

Speaking of kids and charities, there’s a way to parlay that morning coffee craving today (Wednesday, June 5) into a way to help local, disadvantaged children.

It’s time for Timmy’s annual Camp Day, where 100 per cent of every coffee purchased goes towards sending youth – aged 12 to 16 – to one of the seven Tims Camps.

I like the campaign slogan: Buy a coffee. Change a life. I’ve personally talked to a few Langley kids through the years who have grown and developed thanks to attending one of the camps. They can attest to the fact that camp definitely changed their lives for the better.

Most of us need our daily caffeine fix, anyway. Why not fulfill that need and give the kids a hand? There’s also other ways to help – ask about their Camp Day bracelets on sale now for $2 each.

During the past 45 years, Timmy’s has helped give 275,000 youth a chance to change their future – but they can’t do this alone, said Tim Hortons president Alex Macedo, asking people to help out.

“Camp Day is as much a part of Tim Hortons as our Double Double is,” Macedo added.

“In 2018, our guests helped us donate more than $13.1 million on Camp Day and this year I hope we can exceed this to help even more youth change their stories.”

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Combating youth homelessness

Also underway this month, Langley’s Home Depot is helping out Encompass Support Services Society (formerly Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services Society) in its efforts to assist at-risk and homeless youth in our town.

Until June 23, customers who make a $2 donation at The Home Depot Canada Langley store will contribute to Encompass’s efforts.

Encompass is the organization that runs the Langley Youth Hub, a resource centre in Willowbrook for local teens (that including those who are homeless).

“As one of the fastest-growing segments of the homeless population in Canada, youth homelessness is an urgent and complex issue,” said Pam O’Rourke, chair, board of directors, The Home Depot Canada Foundation and vice president of merchandising for Home Depot Canada.

“We are working together, with our community partners, to help truly understand and address the unique needs of at-risk and homeless youth, so we can help end this cycle. That is why 100 per cent of every customer donation goes directly to helping local youth,” she added.

The Langley store is hosting its month-long Orange Door Project fundraising campaign right now, and local donations will stay locally.

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Home Depot’s Langley store kicks off their Orange Door Project fundraising campaign to combat youth homelessness. (Special to the Langley Advance)


Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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