VICTORIA – BC Transit and its employees will kick off their annual
charitable giving campaign by granting a wish through the Help Fill A Dream
Foundation. BC Transit is the Foundation’s largest employee-led contributor
with more than $556,000 donated over the past nine years.
Money raised at BC Transit helps children like seven year old Cayden Chiasson-Gill.
Cayden suffers from a progressive neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorder.
Help Fill A Dream, through its Special Projects program, paid to have Cayden’s
family van retrofitted in order to make it wheel-chair accessible.
This is the second time Help Fill A Dream has helped the Chiasson-Gill family.
When Cayden’s little brother Gabriel was born prematurely at 29 weeks old
there was a shortage of neonatal care beds in Victoria. The boys’ mother
Lisa was forced to travel to Spokane, Washington for her delivery. Help Fill
A Dream provided financial assistance for the many costs associated with Gabriel’s
cross-border birth. Today, Gabriel is a happy, active and healthy five year
old.
BC Transit played a pivotal role in establishing the Help Fill a Dream Foundation.
The Vancouver Island based charity fulfills dreams of children under 19 who
are facing life-threatening illnesses. In 1986, a seven year old terminally
ill girl told her BC Transit driver about her wish was to visit family in Nova
Scotia. Her transit driver, Rick Thomas, collected money to make that dream
come true. Since then 1,900 children have been assisted with dreams, gifts or
financial assistance through Help Fill A Dream.
BC Transit employees will also be supporting the United Way of Greater Victoria
(UNGV) in its goal of raising $6 million dollars this year. In its 75th year,
the UNGV will focus on child and youth programs, healthy people/strong communities
and from poverty to possibility. BC Transit and its employees have participated
in the United Way campaign since 1995 and have collected nearly $574,000 to
support the umbrella agency in its community-minded efforts.
“Family is at the heart of what we do each and every day,” said BC
Transit President and CEO Manuel Achadinha. “BC Transit employees take
great pride in our community efforts and bridging our family with communities
and agencies that need our support.”
Please join us in the BC Transit boardroom (520 Gorge Road East) on Wednesday,
November 14, 2012 at 11:45 am as we Help Fill A Dream for Cayden and his family;
and begin our annual charity campaigns.
Media Contact:
Meribeth Burton
Corporate Spokesperson | BC Transit
d: 250.995.5720
meribeth_burton@bctransit.com
