By Keith McNeill
There were a lot of proud faces at Canfor-Vavenby last week as the division celebrated winning the Polar Cup for an unprecedented third year in a row.
The cup goes to the division within the company that raises the most for the United Way on a per capita basis.
This year the division raised $42,750 or $244 per capita.
This compares with $37,000 last year and $34,000 the year before.
READ MORE: Canfor-Vavenby wins Polar Cup (Mar. 1, 2016)
READ MORE: Vavenby mill wins Polar Cup again (Mar. 16, 2017)
Altogether, Canfor-Vavenby has collected $177,000 over the past six years for United Way, said Duncan Smith, regional human resources manager and Canfor’s company-wide United Way campaign coordinator.
Smith has a special connection to his area as he grew up in Vavenby and Clearwater. His father Ross Smith worked for Weyerhaeuser and his mother Louise Smith was a schoolteacher.
Danalea Baker, executive director of the Thompson-Nicola-Cariboo United Way, said that all the money raised in the North Thompson stays in the Valley. Representatives of local donors help decide where it goes. She noted that the United Way worked with the Red Cross to help those affected by last summer’s wildfires and that the two agencies are already planning for the next disaster.
“Your contributions have made a huge difference to the seniors of Clearwater and Wells Gray Country,” said Sandra Holmes, president of the Wells Gray Seniors Society. Money from the United Way helps the society put on monthly luncheons for seniors that include speakers on relevant topics.
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