Calls and texts raise money for health initiatives
Area Bell and Bell Aliant phone subscribers may have unwittingly helped the company raise over $3.3 million for mental health initiatives last Tuesday.
During the Feb. 9 ‘Let’s Talk Day’, five cents for every text and long distance call made by customers was donated to the Bell Mental Health initiative.
As the high-profile anti-stigma component of the initiative, Bell Let's Talk Day encourages discussion of mental illness to help people get the help they need. Most of the one in five Canadians who will suffer from mental illness in their lifetimes won't seek treatment because of the stigma around the disease, according to company officials.
“Bell's work to advance Canadian mental health is built on four pillars: anti-stigma, care and access, research, and workplace health,” said Mary Deacon, chair of the Bell Mental Health Initiative.
With a total of 66,079,236 text messages and long-distance calls made by Bell and Bell Aliant customers on Feb. 9, Bell is giving $3,303,961.80 to the initiative.
“We are incredibly grateful for the response to Bell Let's Talk Day, which both supports new understanding and de-stigmatization of mental illness and enhances Bell’s support for all four pillars of our program,” said Deacon.
Valentine’s Day fundraiser supports foundation
Boston Pizza customers are helping to spread love across the entire nation throughout the month of February through their participation in fundraisers, according to company officials.
Exclusively on Valentine's Day, area residents could enjoy a heart-shaped pizza at the local restaurant with a dollar from the sale price going to the Boston Pizza Foundation.
“Canadians have opened their hearts to the Boston Pizza Foundation on Valentine’s Day for almost 20 years and the money we raise is a testament to the generous spirit of Canadians from coast-to-coast,” said Cheryl Treliving, executive director of the Boston Pizza Foundation.
Total funds raised locally were not available by press time.
But nationally, Boston Pizza officials expected to make more than 50,000 heart-shaped pizzas on Valentine’s Day.
Beginning in January, Boston Pizza guests have also been able to purchase red paper hearts for a $1 donation or a pink paper heart for $5 and write a Valentine message to someone special.
All donations collected from paper hearts go directly to the Boston Pizza Foundation.
The Boston Pizza Foundation raises funds for many charities across Canada, including Kids Help Phone, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
IODE celebrates Founder’s Day
The local Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire (IODE) chapter celebrated a milestone in their organization’s history yesterday.
On February 13, 1900 Margaret Polson Murray presented the draft charter and constitution that remain today for a ‘society’ based on the ideals of patriotism, loyalty and service.
The Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire, or IODE as it is commonly known, celebrates this day as Founder’s Day.
IODE was founded in 1900 by Margaret Polson Murray of Montreal who recognized a need for loyal support for Canadians departing to fight with the Empire forces in South Africa.
She encouraged the formation of a federation of women to promote patriotism, loyalty and service to others by sending telegrams to the mayors of Canada’s major cities urging them to call together the prominent women of their communities.
Primary chapters were formed in quick succession across Canada, as were children’s (later called junior) chapters.
On March 19, 1945, the Innisfail-based chapter was started and called the Drewie Lennox chapter in memory of the first Innisfail man who lost his life in war.
