The Flipside Youth Centre received to donations yesterday, both were through different Sobeys fundraisers.
In June, Sobeys held the I Scream for Ice Cream fundraiser across Western Canada. The Sylvan Lake location was able to raise $1,005 for the Flipside Youth Centre.
Brad Bromley, co-owner of the Sylvan Lake Sobeys said he was incredibly proud of the funds raised over the summer.
“Our employees and community really came through. I think we did a great job,” Bromley said.
The I Scream fundraiser had proceeds go towards local children’s charities.
Krista Carlson, FCSS Youth Services Supervisor, said the money donated is going to go a long ways at the youth centre.
“We are so grateful for the donation. It will really help a lot,” Carlson said.
The money donated will largely be used for food and snack at the program.
On top of the ice cream fundraiser from the summer, Sobeys also had a “pay it forward” campaign.
In this campaign young member of the community is chosen to receive a $500 Sobeys gift card which they then “pay it forward” to the organization of their choice.
Riley Bastarache was the youth chosen from Sylvan Lake, and he chose to donate to Flipside Youth Centre, where he has attended regularly, and now volunteers as a youth leader.
“I am excited to be able to pay-it -forward to the Flipside Youth Centre. …It has been a safe environment for me where I have met knew friends and experienced new things,” Bastarache said.
Bastarache says having snacks available at the youth centre after school shows the kids in the program know there are people who care about them.
Andrea Bromley, co-owner of Sobeys, says it is great to see an organization like the youth centre in Sylvan Lake.
She likes to see the youth of the community taken care of, while also being active in the community.
“It is great to see so many young people are active at the centre, and as they grow they don’t leave but come back as a youth leader,” said Andrea Bromley.
Carlson says the program sees roughly 20 members come to the centre after school every day.
