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MGS joins in campaign to help Salvation Army By Sheila McBrayne MGS Horticultural Inc. has decided to do something a little different this year for Christmas. Instead of giving the traditional gift certificates or gift baskets, they decided to help those less fortunate. The Food Bank Challenge Diet that Southpoint Sun Publisher Jim Heyens started on November 17 caught Donna Stickles’ attention. Donna is the Technical Representative – Seed Division at MGS Horticultural and she and the staff were in the process of planning what the company was going to give their customers for Christmas. “I thought it [Food Bank Diet Challenge] was a neat idea at first. Then I started following Jim’s weekly article and realized we should do something to help others, instead of buying items that seemed impersonal,” said Stickles. MGS Horticultural collected canned food items from staff and presented the Salvation Army with a cheque recently for $7,000! “Every year we gave our customers a small gift worth about $30, and realized that we were spending $6.000 to $7,000 on these gifts… When you think about it – that $7,000 would go a long way to help the food bank,” she said. “For us, giving back to the community is a way to thank the horticultural industry in the community that also plays an important role with the food bank already… When we voted on it, it was a unanimous
decision… Everyone here knew we made the cheque presentation yesterday, and today there seems to be a sense of pride at MGS,” said Stickles. Heyens was quite surprised when he received an email from Stickles telling him what MGS had done. He began his Food Bank Diet Challenge on November 17 and it ends on December 17. “The weeks have gone by fast, but it hasn’t been easy. The Salvation Army needs all the help they can get and I’m so happy that companies like MGS have met the challenge and made such a generous donation. It really does feel good to give and to help others,” said Heyens. “We’ve had several businesses who have contributed what they can – and it all adds up – and I know a lot of businesses have already donated and usually do,” said Heyens. The following is the email Heyens received from Stickles: Hello Jim, I have been following your “Food Bank Challenge Diet” since the beginning and I admire what you are doing. There have been a few comments that you have made that made me really think about what I take for granted for example preparing a meal and having “all” the ingredients or the purpose of chick peas. Two weeks ago, MGS Horticultural Inc. had a staff meeting to discuss what we were going to do for our customers for Christmas this year. In the past we have given gift certificates, wine, liquor and gift baskets, all
Jennifer Robinson, Salvation Army Food Bank, accepts the donation of $7,000 from Donna Stickles on behalf of everyone at MGS Horticultural Inc.
of which are full of empty calories and ends in a sore belly. Considering the tough times our community has faced and the fact that we are suppliers to the horticultural industry, most of which produce food, what better way to thank our customers
then to donate to the local food bank. The vote was unanimous. Giving to those less fortunate is the best gift to give! In fact, today we delivered all the cans that we gathered at our staff Christmas party as well
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as a $7,000 donation to the Leamington Salvation Army Food Bank, on behalf of our local horticultural industry. It feels good to give. Donna Stickles, Technical Representative - Seed Division
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