The Good Stuff, Vol. 98

Welcome to “The Good Stuff,” where we highlight positive news and ways that NAED employees and member companies go above and beyond to give back to their communities! If you have some “Good Stuff” that you would like to share with tED, find out how below.

This week we’re highlighting a local City Electric Supply, which hosted a fundraiser benefitting Make-A-Wish®, and got to be a part of something even bigger as a result.

KELOWNA, British Columbia, Canada — City Electric Supply (CES) Kelowna hosted a golf fundraiser bringing in over $10,000, a tenfold increase from their inaugural event. The tournament was so successful, the CES team received a special invitation to present a wish to a local child.

The inaugural year of the Kelowna Golf Fundraiser benefitting the Make-A-Wish® Foundation brought in a little under $1,000. Coming into the year for the Kelowna Golf Fundraiser, District Manager James Cookson was determined to achieve a masterstroke. In only their second year of hosting the event, Cookson and his district raised over $10,000 — a tenfold increase from the previous year, benefiting Make-A-Wish®.

For Cookson, the opportunity to help a family in need was more than enough; the fact that it was within his own community was just a bonus. Make-A-Wish was so impressed with the tournament that they invited the CES team to witness a wish granting.

“Make-A-Wish® sent a girl and her sister to Disneyland for a week. It was a big event; we brought them a bunch of toys, and they even had their own plane and hotel. The kids were so excited to go. It was nice to see firsthand the impact our fundraiser had on these people.”

“We challenged ourselves to raise enough funds to grant one wish with the tournament funds. We all love the organization, so it was a great goal for us, and the funds raised helped contribute to granting wishes in our local community” Cookson explained.

Participants had a great time improving golf swings and building relationships with one another. Donations continued to roll throughout the event with an additional $1,500 in cash raised. Event winners also went home with prizes, including items from vendors, golf bags, and golf balls.

CES Kelowna created substantial demand for their event — not only maxing out sponsorships but establishing a wait list for interested vendors. After great anticipation and determination, the tournament finally arrived with great success.

While much fun was had, Cookson’s greatest takeaway of the event was the ability to give back to the community through the Make-A-Wish® Foundation. Cookson and his team were able to raise a grand total of $10,246 for Make-A-Wish®.

Reflecting on the tournament’s progress, Cookson and his team thought back to what they learned from their first year.

“There are so many moving parts in an event like this! We had around 110 people attend our first year. It takes a bit to grow, and we learned a lot about collecting, getting everyone together, and assigning tasks. I’d say it was challenging, but it was also fun,” Cookson said with a laugh.

Cookson is proud of the success achieved with the second Kelowna Golf Fundraiser, but he doesn’t plan on stopping there; he aims to drive this tournament into something even bigger.

“We’ve thought about different ways to grow it and we’re excited to see what we can do next. Just like with our business, we’re always looking to improve.”

In advice to other branches and districts considering a fundraiser or similar outreach activity, he emphasizes the relationships that make it all happen. Cookson expressed his gratitude to all who were involved in the Kelowna Golf Tournament.

“Thank you for the support. Our customers and vendors understand it’s for a great cause and they want to be there. We really enjoy it, and we look forward to watching it continue to grow.”

Find more “Good Stuff” articles here on tEDmag.com.

tED wants to know about your “Good Stuff”. If you work with someone who is helping other people, or a group of co-workers that’s creating better outcomes, we want to know about it.

Please send your “Good Stuff” to Editorial & Web Assistant, Marie Jakle at mjakle@naed.org and Online Editor, Nicky Herron at nherron@naed.org. Send us details, names, and photos if you have them.