Smile Card Stories

Thrifty Foods supports many groups across BC with our Smile Card Fundraising program. Here are a few stories we would like to share about what is happening in a community near you.

LOWER MAINLAND

Delta Deas Rowing Club, Delta


Delta Deas has raised over $2,000 towards the purchase of equipment for their rowing club and has been with the Thrifty Foods Smile Card Program for four years. New equipment includes shells (boats), oars and ergs (training machines) for team use. The Delta Deas Rowing Club's vision is to be inclusive of all ages, from elementary to seniors, as well as all abilities. "It is due to support from Thrifty Foods that we are able to spend our time developing our skill as rowers. We really can't do it without you," says Jane McCall, a member of the Delta Deas Rowing Club.

Here are the Delta Deas in action - profiled on Shaw TV:

Mundy Road Elementary School, Coquitlam

Ongoing participation in the Thrifty Foods Smile Card Program helped Mundy Road Elementary raise over $9000 towards the replacement of their aging playground. The playground will benefit all students, their families, and their community neighbours for years to come. Fundraising through Smile Cards continues each year.

VANCOUVER ISLAND

Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association

The Thrifty Foods Smile Card program helped CTRA to re-make the surface of their indoor riding arena and enabled them to keep proper footing in the horses' stalls (or rest areas). Good footing on the riding surface is absolutely essential to providing therapeutic services. This enhanced facility ensures that their horses are healthy and happy, able - in turn - to help persons with disabilities. Funding from the Thrifty Foods Smile Card Program enables the Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association to continue to provide daily therapeutic services for persons living with disabilities in our community.

Cordova Bay Elementary School, Victoria

Cordova Bay Elementary raised over $2,800 to create the Pierre Urarii educational garden through the Smile Card Program. Students, teachers, and parents all participated in the greening of this central school courtyard. The educational garden includes a rich variety of plants, a vegetable garden, space for silent reading, art, and curriculum-based nature learning. This is also where the school's Green Team conducts its extensive recycling program, a part of Cordova Bay Elementary's green initiatives.

Peninsula Young Performers, Sidney

The group, a part of the Allegro Performing Arts Centre, raised over $2,500 towards expenses such as individual dance costumes, travel to performance venues, festival fees, and dance shoes.

Central Vancouver Island Dragon Boat Society - Abreast of Life Team

The Abreast of Life Team, composed entirely of breast cancer survivors, raised over $500 to purchase team apparel. Now decked out for training and racing, the Team participates in festivals and promotes awareness of breast cancer in the Central Vancouver Island region. Team members come from communities from Nanaimo to Qualicum Beach.

Cook Street Village Activity Centre, Victoria

The Centre raised $2,500 for a Friday Special Events Program, which includes a hot meal and musical entertainment for seniors. This program provides an opportunity for centre members to connect with each other and alleviates the isolation of seniors in our community.

Royston Elementary School, Comox Valley

Royston raised over $1,000 to purchase a variety of native plants for their Community Natural Playground Project. The project introduced students to environmental stewardship and re-introduced native plant species, such as Snowberry, Mock Orange, and Western Flowering Dogwood, to their playground as a result. Elementary school students participated in digging the garden/landscape bed and planting the new trees.