Thursday, October 14, 2021
With a passion for healthy living, Askew's Foods is supporting the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail with a $100,000 donation.
The Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail is pleased to announce the $100,000 contribution, was made recently by David Askew, President of Askew's Foods. This donation follows the company's collaboration with the rail trail owners to kick-off the fundraising campaign by selling rail trail greeting cards in-store and matching all sales up to $20,000 in December of 2020. Askew's matched the card sales with a $7,040 donation, and you can find those greeting cards for sale again this holiday season.
Askew's Foods supports a variety of local fundraisers and is the everyday way Askew's builds community relationships. Several times throughout the year, they give to local groups who make donation requests and support local organizations providing support for youth and adult sports, town celebrations and many more. Askew's has a special interest in supporting healthy living and views the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail as an important piece of greenway infrastructure that will encourage outdoor activity and will be accessible to the whole community. Overall, Askew's Foods community giving program exceeds 5 per cent of their total net profits each year.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a great increase in the public's interest in outdoor recreation, and there has been research showing the outdoors are good for mental health. The Sicamous to Armstrong Rail Trail will be a wonderful addition to an already extensive trail network that we are so fortunate to have here in the Shuswap. Askew's is honoured to be a contributor to this wonderful initiative," says Askew.
"Askew's Foods has been a community champion of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail from the beginning, and we are so grateful for their incredibly generous donation. Together, with the support of rail trail donors like Askew's Foods, we are going to build a world-class multi-use trail connecting communities from Sicamous to Armstrong while unfolding the true story within Secwépemc territory," adds Alex de Chantal, Fundraising Strategy Coordinator.
The Community Capital Fundraising Campaign encourages corporate and community donors to support the rail trail project by making donations, as many grants require a matching financial commitment to qualify. All contributions are tax deductible, and every dollar donated gets leveraged for grants and turns into more trail on the ground.
Photo: Askew's Foods presents a cheque for $100,000 to the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail. From left: Lori Pounder, Manager at Askew's Foods Armstrong; Claire Askew, Project Specialist/Wellness Coordinator at Askew's Foods; Dave Wallace, General Manager at Askew's Foods; Kukpi7 Wayne Christian, Chief of Splatsin; Alex de Chantal, Fundraising Strategy Coordinator; Denis Delisle, RDNO Director Area F; Kevin Flynn, CSRD Board Chair. (Henry Schnell and Len Lazzarotto photo)
