Vincent Virk, general manager of the Holiday Inn and Suites in Osoyoos, and front desk agent Megan Edwards, are proud of the hotel staff’s support for the fundraising campaign to assist recent wildfire victims and food banks in Osoyoos and Oliver. (Keith Lacey photo)
The owners, management and staff from an Osoyoos hotel are doing their small part to assist victims of this past summer’s wildfires, and the Osoyoos Food Bank, while also participating in the hotel chain’s global disaster relief program.
Vincent Virk, the general manager of the Osoyoos Holiday Inn and Suites, and Megan Edwards, a front desk agent, have helped organize a fundraising event where more than 30 staff members have contributed household goods, clothing and food to assist wildfire victims in Rock Creek, Oliver and Osoyoos.
The Osoyoos Holiday Inn and Suites has joined InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) colleagues from all over the world to take part in the IHG Race Around the World, an event that aims to raise awareness and funds for the global hotel chain’s disaster relief program.
“We are really excited to be joining IHG colleagues from across the world to raise awareness and funds for the IHG Shelter in a Storm, which is the official name of IHG’s disaster relief program,” said Edwards. “The fact that we can help the people in our community and the communities around us is so fulfilling.
“Everyone was devastated by the fires, some people more than others, and it’s wonderful to help them and other people in need. Our pledge to gather donations for the communities and the food banks is not only great fun, but it also motivated and engaged our staff and raised money for a fantastic cause.”
This year, IHG has encouraged people to participate in as many activities as possible during the weeklong event and 30 staff members with the Osoyoos Holiday Inn responded by bringing items from home – including clothes, kitchen items, towels, linens and food – to donate to communities that have been effected by the wildfires that ravaged so many citizens living in the Rock Creek area, as well as Oliver and Osoyoos, said Edwards.
All of the donations were collected between Sept. 21-28 and will be distributed this week by Edwards and other volunteers she works with at the Holiday Inn.
Food donations for food banks in Osoyoos and Oliver will also be dropped off sometime this week, she said.
“This will be perfect timing with the Thanksgiving holiday weekend coming up soon,” she said.
The IHG Shelter in a Storm program build on the company’s long and proud history of helping local communities in times of need and is funded through the IHG Shelter fund, said Virk, whose family has owned the Osoyoos Holiday Inn since 1989.
The program equips IHG hotels to act quickly and decisively to support guests, colleagues and local communities whenever disaster strikes, he said.
The Osoyoos Holiday Inn also has a drop-off box that allows guests to make contributions to the relief efforts and local citizens are also welcome to drop off items at the front desk, said Edwards.
The recent wildfires hit particularly close to home for Edwards this past summer.
“My boyfriend was put on evacuation notice at his house in Oliver,” she said. “His house isn’t far from where people were ordered to evacuate.”
Staff were unanimous in wanting to get involved to help a great cause, said Virk.
“Our staff have just been wonderful and really rallied to help the cause,” he said. “They have all brought in household items and food and none of them hesitated to get involved.
“I’m proud to be part of a team that cares about the communities they live in.”
Numerous wildfire victims forced from their homes had to find shelter and many of them ended up taking rooms at the Holiday Inn and it’s heartwarming to know so many people have rallied across the region to try and assist them during a very difficult time, said Edwards.
Senior management from IHG’s international office has made a pledge to provide funding of up to $200,000 to assist in Canadian relief efforts in 2015, said Virk.
The Shelter in a Storm disaster relief program has contributed more than $3.9 million over the past seven years and the company has set a goal to increase that figure to $15 million before 2020, he said.
For more information on the IHG Shelter in a Storm program, visit www.ihgshelterinastorm.com.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
