Pincher Creek Co-op Gas Bar fuels community spirit with $1,500 donation
Pincher Creek Co-op Gas Bar donated $1,500 to Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village on Oct. 3. The funds were raised during Fuel Good Day, held Sept. 17, when the community rallied together to help raise funds for local causes.
Under this Federated Co-op initiative, five cents from every litre of fuel sold that day is donated to any local charity or non-profit organization selected by each Co-op.
This year’s recipient is the local museum — Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village.
“We decided to spread our wealth around and give other organizations a chance. We wanted to support some other worthwhile charities in town,” said gas bar manager Kari Zieffle, noting that donations in past years have been made to Windy Slopes Health Foundation.
Zieffle shared details of the funds raised during Fuel Good Day, explaining that $908.17 came from fuel sales that day. In addition to fuel donations, Co-op raised $34 through the sale of coffee and Big Cool beverages. Customers also generously donated $386.25 in grocery coupons.
In a unique addition to the fundraiser, the Co-op Gas Bar gave a penny for each step Zieffle walked, turning her busy day into extra support for the cause. “I was so busy that day walking and running around that I clocked 12,653 steps. So I suggested to my boss that we donate one penny for every step and he agreed,” she said. “So, that added an extra $126.53 in the donation.”
This brought the total to $1,454.95, which Co-op rounded to $1,500.
Along with Kori Fast, Pincher Creek Co-op’s general manager, Zieffle presented the donation cheque to Colleen Casey-Cyr, president of Pincher Creek and District Historical Society, alongside society director Francis Cyr and secretary Dan Crawford.
Casey-Cyr shared that the funds will help build an exhibit at the museum commemorating the region’s rich firefighting history.
“We are building a new fire station, a replica of Fire Station No. 1 in Pincher Creek. We are building it at the museum this fall, in co-operation with some of the firefighters and the volunteers at the museum, and this donation will help bring the project to life,” she said.
Other Pincher Creek Co-op locations participated in the initiative as well. The Coleman Co-op Gas Bar raised $500 for the Crowsnest Pass Food Bank, while Sparwood Co-op Gas Bar raised $600 for the Sparwood Food Bank.
Volunteers from each charity were present at their respective locations, informing customers about their work and engaging with the community.
To boost excitement in Pincher Creek, a fire truck from Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village was brought to the gas bar, and a food truck added to the lively atmosphere. With community members rallying around for a good cause, Fuel Good Day once again proved to be a successful and meaningful event for the region.
