Community Service Award Finalist

The Prince George Spruce Kings know first hand how committed to the community that the four Save On Foods stores in Prince George are. Now the whole country is starting to know it too after the Canadian Grocer announced their finalists in the annual Community Service Awards.

I recently worked with the Canadian Grocer to help with recognizing the Save On Foods stores in Prince George for their contributions to the community. This is just the first step as I think they should become one of the four winners. Please read my edited transcription of the article in the Canadian Grocer that highlights Prince George and the work of four stores.

Canadian Grocer has announced the 10 finalists for this year’s Community Service Awards.

The 10 stand-out stores cover the country, including the Save-on Foods in Prince George, B.C., which helped those in need when an explosion ripped through a local sawmill.

Save-on Foods, Prince George, B.C.

When an explosion ripped through the Lakeland Mills sawmill in April, the blast was felt throughout Prince George. That night, Save-on employees handed out supplies to those who rushed to help co-workers and friends at the mill. In-store initiatives also raised more than $27,000 for the foundation to support the Lakeland Mill’s fire relief fund.

The stores also look for ways to support the community year-round. Take manager Brian Gandy’s staff, who rallied all four stores to help the Spruce Kings, a local hockey team with three events to fill the arena and raise money for charity.

The awards were launched three years ago by Canadian Grocer to recognize retailers who support causes such as kid’s charities, raise money for local hospitals and food banks or lend a helping hand in some other way.

This year’s winners show just how far grocery store managers and owners across the country are willing to go to aid a good cause, said Rob Gerlsbeck, editor of Canadian Grocer magazine. “We started the Community Service Awards because we knew the commitment grocers have to the people surrounding their stores and the unique ways they come up with to raise money for charity.”

Canadian Grocer received a record number of entries from grocers across the country this year for the awards sponsored by Campbell’s and Chatelaine magazine.

The finalists were chosen by a judging panel comprised of: George Condon, Canadian Grocer’s consulting editor; James Fraser, partner at retail branding agency Hunter Straker; Agnieszka Rum of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility; Alicia Androich, senior staff writer at Marketing magazine; and David Soberman, marketing professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

These same judges will now choose the four winners, who will be announced in the December issue of Canadian Grocer and also a featured in Chatelaine. For a complete read of the original article with all ten finalists and their stories, visit the Canadian Grocer website or look in the September issue of Canadian Grocer, out now.