Since the 1980s, employees have been raffling off stuff to give to charity
Lots of companies do potluck meals at work around Christmas.
But the crew at Rogers Sugar add a twist: they raffle off items for donations to The Province’s Empty Stocking Fund.
The tradition dates to the 1980s, when a couple of Rogers workers put up and decorated a Christmas tree. Other workers would pluck a candy cane off the tree and leave a donation, which was donated to the Empty Stocking Fund.
“We (cajole) our suppliers, vendors, and we try to get a little bit of swag,” relates Lisa Harry, the health and safety manager at the Rogers Sugar complex on the east Vancouver waterfront. “A couple of minor gifts, and then we raffle them off.”
“Ron Trayling is one of our utility workers here,” explains Harry. “He’s been here for well over 30 years. He’s been a quiet but very strong force within the Empty Stocking Fund. He’s one of the only people that are still left that originally kind of started it. The others have retired.”
The potluck/raffle is a party that’s usually held on the weekend or two before Christmas.
“We could have oodles of gifts,” said Harry. “We’ve had tickets to hockey, we’ve had dinners to Fairmont, we’ve had TVs. It started out with home-baked goods, homemade wine and swag from suppliers and stuff like that.”
There are currently 202 employees at Rogers Sugar, which dates to 1890 and is the oldest industrial site in Vancouver. Typically, the raffle raises around $10,000, which is then matched by the company.
“At the very end, everyone’s name goes back into the hat or bin, whatever it is we’re using,” said Harry. “We pull (the name of) that last person, and they get the tax writeoff for whatever amount we’ve raised as an employee group.”
For 106 years, The Province’s Empty Stocking Fund has been dedicated to making the holidays brighter for B.C. residents who are less-fortunate. With the generosity of our readers and supporters, the fund gives money to 25 B.C. community groups that provide food hampers and gifts to children, needy families and singles.
Donations can be made to:
By calling: 604-253-6911