Firefighters from Comox Fire Rescue are doing their part to help restart the local economy.
The firefighters have purchased a total of $3,000 in gift certificates from 12 restaurants in the town, as a show of support for those trying to re-establish their businesses, as the COVID-19 restrictions continue to be lifted.
“We are a little bit frustrated that we can’t do what we normally do in terms of fundraising and that, so we all threw $50 in a hat and bought some gift certificates,” said Comox Fire Chief Gord Schreiner. “It’s a bit self-serving - we will use them ourselves. But the idea is, you take a family member out for dinner and see if you can double that $50 into $100 for that restaurant, and generate some business.”
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Schreiner said that many of his volunteer firefighters are small business owners themselves, and they all wanted to do something to help out the local restaurants.
“Now is certainly the time to shop locally when we can,” said Schreiner. “If we all do a little thing like this… it’s all about helping each other, because helping each other helps us all.”
Schreiner said he had planned on writing a press release about the initiative, but Toscano’s Mediterranean Grill beat him to the punch.
The restaurant’s Facebook page administrator posted a photo of the letter, along with a thank you.
“We got this letter from the Comox Firefighters tonight. I just have to say to everyone who is a member of the Comox Fire Rescue that this is absolutely incredible! Thank you!”
Blackfin Pub manager Barbara Hanson was equally grateful for the gesture.
“We are very thankful that Comox Fire fully supports us,” she said. “We thoroughly appreciate everything they do for our community.”
The Blackfin and CFR have a history of collaboration.
“They have a kids’ camp every year and on the last day of kids’ camp … we go there and cook them all dinner. So we have had a great reciprocal working relationship with Comox Fire,” Hanson added.
The kids’ camp was cancelled this year due to COVID-19.
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