Did you see a lot of snow angel posts showing up in your social feed last month? The Snowsuit Fund’s 2nd annual Snow Angel Challenge saw members of Ottawa’s business community joining the challenge and getting in on the fun – all to raise funds and awareness for the charity that keeps 16,000 Ottawa kids warm every year!
Despite challenges including the Freedom Rally convoy/occupation monopolizing social feeds and community mindshare, not to mention some of the coldest February temperatures on record, over $50,000 was raised to purchase snowsuits for 1,035 children from low-income families. Participants in the Corporate Challenge played a big role in reaching this goal.
“It’s incredibly heartwarming that members of our community will lay in the snow just to raise money for children in need, especially when winter in Ottawa is unkind,” said Mike Leggett, co-chair of this year’s Snow Angel Challenge. “Even with everything going on in the city at the time, participants really showed their generosity and spirit of giving.”
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Kelly Funeral Homes by Arbor Memorial’s team Kelly’s Angels took top honours for highest corporate team fundraising for the second year in a row. Long-standing annual contributor to The Snowsuit Fund, director of community relations, John Laframboise, shared a thank you letter he received in 1993 as well as some heartfelt and very entertaining social posts.
Kelly Funeral Homes has been serving the Ottawa region since opening in 1954 and has been a part of Arbor Memorial Inc. since 2005. Laframboise says Kelly’s Angels wanted to be involved with their community especially since COVID-19 limited opportunities. “Our team loved the Snow Angel concept and was eager for a repeat performance in 2022.”
School bus company M.L. Bradley Ltd. won top Social Spirit honours for their posts featuring Snow Angels participants among colourful Olympic rings painted onto the fresh fallen snow. “As a student transportation company with a fleet of 120 buses, we consistently look for ways to raise funds for young children. Our drivers witness first hand local kids in desperate need of warm clothing,” said company owner, Kathleen Both. The team’s favourite part of the challenge? Raising awareness, painting the Olympic rings and inviting drivers for hot chocolate and cookies says Both.
Both would like more companies to support Snow Angel Challenge and The Snowsuit Fund next year. “There are many activities children look forward to every winter, like snow angels, tobogganing and making snow forts. For all of these activities a warm snowsuit is a must.” She hopes that next year, the company will be able to have in-person social gatherings to promote the challenge and raise more funds.
