As of July 1, Pet Tech Care and the Fernie Rotary Club joined Elk Valley Strong, a community wide fundraiser to raise money for local charities and nonprofits who have been affected by the pandemic.
Give’Er Shirt Works and Lilac Media began the initiative in May as a way of supporting local businesses. Selling apparel adorned with the Elk Valley Strong logo, $10 from each sale goes towards a local business of the purchaser’s choice. The shirts cost $25 and are available at Giv’Er Shirt Works’ online and retail shops.
On top of this fundraising initiative to support businesses, a newer initiative under the Elk Valley Strong umbrella will support nonprofits. For the remainder of the summer, Elk Valley Strong is inviting local businesses to donate a percentage of the sales from one of their products to support local charitable organizations. The nonprofits being supported are the Salvation Army Food Bank, Angel Flight East Kootenay, the Fernie Pets Society Spay and Neuter Incentive Program and The Fernie Therapeutic Horse and Pony Club. Forty per cent of all proceeds go towards the food bank, 40 per cent to Angel Flight, 10 per cent to the Pets Society, and 10 per cent to the Horse and Pony Club.
“We all know that businesses are struggling through these times and charities are too as they’ve lost many event opportunities for fundraising,” said Val Lanthier, owner of Pet Tech Care. “Us local businesses came up with creative ways to get the community involved. Elk Valley Strong is growing big and we are helping on a large scale through multiple angles. It’s all about local community support.”
A variety of Fernie businesses are participating in the fundraiser, including Le Grand Fromage, Barkside Pets, The Green Petal, Polar Peek Books and Treasures, and The Bridge Bistro. Yamagoya, Fernie Distillers, Coal Town Goods, and Nevados also expressed interest in participating later in the summer.
The Bridge Bistro is currently donating 10 per cent of the proceeds from their $50 gift cards towards Elk Valley Strong charities. Barkside Pets is also donating a portion of sales from all Earth Rated products to the initiative, as is Polar Peak Books and Treasures with proceeds from the sale of Terry Nelson’s Fernie Area Hiking Trail and Natural Plant Compendium book. A portion of all cactus sales from The Green Pedal will also be donated to Elk Valley Strong, as will a portion of sales from Le Grand Fromage’s most popular blue cheese, Saint Agur.
To further encourage participation and raise funds, Elk Valley Strong will be hosting an auction in the coming weeks, with items donated from Beanpod and Save-on-Foods.
Organizers are also currently reaching out to businesses in Sparwood and Elkford, in an effort to support enterprises throughout the entire Elk Valley.
Each participating business is provided a poster to encourage community participation, while having their efforts advertised on Elk Valley Strong socials to encourage shopping local. Any business interested in participating is urged to reach out to organizers via info@pettechcare.com, or to visit the Elk Valley Strong Facebook page for more information.
editor@thefreepress.ca
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