A Lloydminster volunteer group is getting recognition for their work helping non-profit organizations in the city. SCR Lloydminster received the Courage Award from the Thorpe Recovery Centre at the centre annual AGM.
“It’s nice to be recognized but it’s also nice to bring our story to light for what we’re trying to accomplish for the non-profit groups in our community,” SCR Chairman Keith Marwick says.
The group obtained over $12,000 in services for the recovery centre which included vehicle maintenance, gym equipment and topsoil for the centre’s serenity garden. All the services and donations were provided by local businesses.
SCR stands for supporting our community with resources and the group holds monthly campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations in the city.
“A lot of the non-profits don’t have the time or the resources to do some of the legwork and bridge the gap of our supporting community and businesses that do support. We connect them with what is needed.”
The group meets with the non-profits to find their needs and then approaches businesses in Lloydminster to help fulfil those needs.
“It’s hard to go up to a business and say can I have a bunch of money. But if you ask for the resources that they have at their fingertips they’re more than willing to give what they can and lend a helping hand without pulling large amounts of money from the businesses.”
SCR Lloydminster started in September 2018 when ten work colleagues got together wanting to do something for the community. Their first campaign was to collect donations for the Lloydminster Men’s Shelter.
“They were needing men’s socks, clothing and coats. We did a drive for them and our drive was a huge success. We dropped off a big truckload of material to them and it sparked that initial love of giving back to the community.”
The ten colleagues are now the board of directors for the organization and decide on the group’s monthly campaign. The SCR will be working with the Midwest Family Connections for October.
“Each campaign that we do touches a different person in different ways. It brings them closer to the reality of some of these problems we see in town that the non-profit groups are trying to overcome.”