INNISFAIL – Four local charities received a timely annual holiday season boost this month from Johns Manville.
For the past 23 years, the company's Innisfail plant of more than 220 employees have banded together this time of year to support local organizations that serve the town’s less fortunate.
Heather Cooper, the human resources generalist at Johns Manville, said for many years employees diligently raised donations on their own, with the company matching their total.
This year employees raised $3,460. As well, a group of employees also collected scrap steel throughout the year and then raised more money through recycling.
“The maintenance department separates it and take it in on their own time and that money goes towards the community,” said Cooper.
She said the money is then distributed to worthy local charities in Innisfail. Cooper said last year the company and its employees supported three charities but in 2021 another one was added.
“It was just to spread it around because it has been a tough couple of years,” said Cooper.
The Innisfail Christmas Bureau received $7,920, while the Innisfail and District Food Bank got a boost for $2,000, along with 450 lbs. of food donations. The Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter received $2,000, and Johns Manville’s new recipient, Dean Turnquist’s Helping Hand Fund, was also given $2,000.
Cooper said the annual in-house fundraising is important for company employees who are just “happy” to be able to give back to the community.
“The generosity of employees here is amazing. They do an amazing job to pitch in to help the community,” she said.
“I feel lucky to work here and be part of an amazing company, and the people I work with.”
