Fort McMurray SPCA top vote getter in Syncrude employee contest.
The Fort McMurray SPCA leads the pack of six community charities that will receive a total of $50,000 in funding from Syncrude’s community investment program, as voted by Syncrude employees.
The SPCA will receive $25,000 as the top vote getter in a Syncrude campaign that recognized employees who volunteer in the community and raised awareness of the many community charities that could benefit from more help. Syncrude president and CEO Scott Sullivan visited the SPCA today to make the donation.
“Syncrude’s generosity and support will ensure the Fort McMurray SPCA can continue to provide care and a safe haven for the more 1,000 homeless, abused and abandoned animals that come through our doors each year,” said Tara Clark, executive director of the SPCA. “This gift will support our many community outreach programs such as Animal Safety and Awareness for children and youth and our pediatric spay and neuter campaign. We appreciate the many Syncrude volunteers who help the Fort McMurray SPCA and think this was a great contest.”
Five other not-for-profit groups will each receive $5,000. They are: the Centre of Hope, the Fort McMurray Chinese Canadian Cultural Society, the Sanatan Mandir Cultural Society. Santas Anonymous, and the Wood Buffalo Educare Society.
As part of Syncrude’s contest, employees were first asked to choose from among 60 eligible community organizations to arrive at a short-list of six finalists. Employees then voted from those six to choose their favourite, with the top choice receiving a $25,000 grant.
As part of the promotion, Syncrude also ran a workplace campaign recognizing the work of employees who volunteer their spare time to work in support of community causes.
Syncrude’s Good Neighbours program provides cash grants to local charities when its employees volunteer at least 40 hours per year with an eligible organization of their choosing. This year, grants awarded under the program totalled $116,000. A further $80,000 was awarded to 20 community groups to offset the cost of travel to out-of-town events such as sports tournaments. In total, some $6 million was awarded through Syncrude’s community investment program in 2012.
Information about the work of the six winning organizations can be found at the campaign website: www.syncrude.ca/thegeteffect.
