Over 2lbs of pennies collected for MS

Times Reporter     

 

Once again Global Training Centre (GTC) has shown their support for Strathmore’s A&W Multiple Sclerosis (MS) fundraising campaign. 

Last year Bev Slater, with GTC, had seen the billboard note about the Pennies For MS drive the store was running while on her way to work.  She took an idea to the social committee to see if they wanted to support Pennies For MS.  Each department was split into teams, which set about to see who could raise the most. 

When Slater brought it up, the social committee was once again on board, though this year GTC staff split into teams. 

“Everybody went out and was kind of a bit creative this year and one team had their own bottle drive. Then we ended up with cash and pennies on that team,” said Slater. 

“Another team did a raffle, they made a candy jar and then they raffled off guesses for the candy jar (for $1),” said Kim Cammer, also with GTC. 

“We got very competitive.”

Slater said with the penny being discontinued she isn’t sure exactly how GTC will be helping out, but she is sure they will find a way. This year through their internal fundraising efforts GTC was able to raise $800, which included almost two pounds of pennies. 

“It’s really wonderful having the support of the local business community, it really makes life (easier).  We can get a lot more done with a lot less resources, they have been big supporters of us and in turn we have turned into one of their supporters too because they do a charity night coming up,” said store manager Will Whatley. 

A&W is sponsor for the GTC charity event that’s coming up, and Whatley said it all has turned out very well and beneficial to both businesses.  

This marks the end of the fundraising efforts by A&W for MS this year. 

“January we start planning for our MS stuff again. Hopefully we got a committee actually dedicated this year to it so it should be a good year next year,” said Whatley. 

Next up for A&W is a sock hop being held on Oct. 24.  

“We’re doing a sock hop for our car club guys for a night. We’ve got lemonade and orangeade and we’re going to do hotdogs and hamburgers and a dance. We’re getting one of the rooms at the Ag. Grounds,” said Whatley.