Overnight shelter receives donation from SWCC

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Strathmore Wheatland Chamber of Commerce (SWCC) has made a donation to the Strathmore Overnight Shelter (SOS) from funds raised during their summer trade show.

The chamber raised $1,400 for the SOS through their event. According to Hayley Poirier, speaking on behalf of the SWCC, the team was more than happy to be able to give back to the community and support the shelter.

“When the SWCC was putting our trade show together, one of the elements was (that) we wanted to make sure that we were going to be donating to one of our local charities,” said Poirier. “We always want to support the SOS and so it became this really fun thing to raise money.”

During their trade show in May, the SWCC hosted a barn dance and a jelly bean jar guess, among other events in order to generate funds to donate.

Over the course of the weekend, Poirier said over 700 people attended the show, raising $1,400 to be donated.

SOS president John Hilton-O’Brien said the continual support from the SWCC has been invaluable to the shelter.

“Their ongoing support is much appreciated. When they did this wonderful event … to help support the shelter, it seemed like an excellent opportunity to ask if folks would recognize them for it,” said O’Brien.

Elizabeth Karp, SOS executive director, said the impact generated by the donation is going to go a long way towards helping the people in need.

“It has a huge impact, everything that’s brought in, for everybody who has contributed, every dollar makes a difference,” said Karp. “As we know, food prices have increased, the cost of living has increased, so it’s costing more and more to be able to feed and keep people in here.” 

Regardless of what the money ends up getting put towards at the shelter, it will be stretched as far as the dollars will allow, likely being split amongst utilities, food, supplies and other necessities.

Poirier said the SWCC has every intention of continuing to support the SOS whenever they have the means and capacity to do so.

“We are going to pick a new date for next year’s (tradeshow), so more come to that (and) it will be something that will continue to get bigger and better,” said Poirier. “There will always be a percentage of our donations going out to a charity and so we expect it will get bigger and better for next year.”

For those who are curious to help out the SOS, supplies and food can be dropped off at the shelter, or more information about how to help can be found online (www.strathmoreovernightshelter.ca).