Bruce Power keeps on giving

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My 'bucket overfloweth' as volunteers begin to count the generosity

(L) Volunteers Jenna Malhotra, Helen Peppler, Lisa Thornburn and co-ordinator, Sandi Beange

In under two hours, Bruce Power employees raised $85,000 for the Haiti relief effort.

The 'gate collection' began very early Tuesday morning at various locations throughout the Bruce Power Site and, as employees, changed shift, they tossed money and cheques into buckets as they passed through entrances.

Chief Steward, Dave Trumble astounded by response

Dave Trumble, Chief Steward and President of the Labour Council, manned the 'bucket' at the entrance to the Control Maintenance site.  "Within ten minutes of the employees arriving in the morning at 7:00 a.m., there was more than $300 in the bucket," he said.  "This is a fantastic group of people and it has a lot to do with who they are, the fact that this is a small community where people care and also the core values that express social responsibility.  Regardless of the disaster or emergency, whether here at home or anywhere else in the world, these people understand that we are all connected in a global community."

While the employees raised an initial $85,000, Bruce Power the company, is matching every dollar raising the contribution to $170,000 although the off-site amounts are yet to be determined and added in.

"This is a bucket?!" says Sandi Beange (R) as an employee drops off a large size filled to the brim

The Federal Government announced it was committed to matching donations, up to $50 million, but, it is rumoured that the Feds' money only applies to individual contributions and not any corporate money.  Therefore, it remains to be seen whether or not the total from Bruce Power will be met, or only the employees' contribution portion.

In any event, it was a successful fundraiser that even left many company employees dumfounded.  "This is unbelievable," said volunteer Sandi Beange, who co-ordinated the volunteer effort and set about counting the buckets of money that came in from every point of entry at the Bruce Power site.  "I simply cannot believable the amount of money that was raised strictly through the employees throwing money into buckets!"

All monies raised will be given to the Red Cross.

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010