Thrifty Foods Store Manager Ray Mattinson and Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation Board Member John Ashbridge, Manager of Corporate Partnerships Eleanor Ryrie, and cardiologist Dr. Jay Charania were on hand at the Thrifty Foods Sapperton location to promote the Help Out One Buck at a Time fundraising campaign in support of 13 hospital foundations in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
"Thrifty Foods has a long-standing relationship with the hospital foundations that goes right back to our first store opening in 1977," says Jim Dores. "This year's fundraising campaign will include a total of thirteen hospital foundations, benefiting people from communities large and small throughout the Lower Mainland and across Vancouver Island."
From February 15 to March 13, 2012, one dollar from the sale of every four-pound bag of certified organic Buck Brand Navel Oranges will be donated to the hospital foundation nearest the Thrifty Foods store where the purchase was made. The four-week campaign is expected to raise funds for the Royal Columbian, Delta, Peace Arch, Fraser Valley Health Care, Eagle Ridge and Lions Gate Hospital Foundations - as well as seven hospital foundations on Vancouver Island.
"The Help Out One Buck at a Time campaign is great way to raise much-needed funds for the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation," said Adrienne Bakker, President & CEO. "Each dollar raised will benefit our expansion for stroke, cardiac and aneurysm care at the hospital which will help individuals and families in BC communities for years to come."
Thrifty Foods also raises funds for all 13 hospital foundations through their annual Pumpkins for Charity event. Held each October, Thrifty Foods donates $1 from the sale of each pumpkin directly to local hospital foundations.
The Help Out campaign also features Buck Brand organic Navels grown exclusively for Thrifty Foods, and their wholesale partners in BC, by Lisle Babcock of Terra Bella, California. Lisle and his family grow and hand-pick over a dozen varieties of certified organic citrus products including interestingly different hybrids like Mango Oranges and Limequats. For the full Buck story and Lisle's February citrus tasting schedule, visit www.buckbrandcitrus.com.
Thrifty Foods (www.thriftyfoods.com) was founded in 1977 in Victoria, BC. Today, Thrifty Foods, a banner of Sobeys Inc., has a total of 27 retail grocery stores across the Lower Mainland and throughout Vancouver Island.
About Sobeys Inc.
Proudly Canadian, with headquarters in Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Sobeys has been serving the food shopping needs of Canadians for 104 years. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Empire Company Limited (TSX:EMP.A), Sobeys owns or franchises more than 1,300 stores in all 10 provinces under retail banners that include Sobeys, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, and Thrifty Foods, as well as Lawton's Drug Stores. Sobeys and its franchise affiliates employ more than 95,000 people. The company's goal is to be widely recognized as the best food retailer and workplace environment in Canada. More information on Sobeys Inc. can be found at www.sobeyscorporate.com.
