Seven charities to benefit from Western Wheel Cares

Western Wheel Cares is looking to build on a record–breaking year.

The 2022 campaign is the 11th year of Western Wheel Cares, which takes donations from the community and distributes them evenly to a host of worthy charities.

“There are many worthwhile charities to donate to in our community, but we chose to support the same organizations as last year as they have the most impact on our community,” said Gayle Wolf, office manager at the Western Wheel and co-ordinator of the Wheel Cares campaign. “The amount of support we received for the charity groups during the pandemic was totally unexpected and just shows what an outstanding community we are part of.”

The 2022 Western Wheel Cares campaign will benefit seven organizations: Foothills Advocacy in Motion Society, Foothills Country Hospice, Inclusion Foothills, Okotoks Food Bank, Pound Rescue, Rowan House Society and Sheep River Health Trust.

In its 10th year in 2021, the Western Wheel Cares campaign raised a record $72,107 – topping the previous all-time high of $71,379.65 raised in 2020.

The campaign has raised $486,389 for local charities over the past decade.

“Last year’s total of over $72,000 was simply outstanding,” Wolf added. “And we are hopeful that our community shows the same feeling of giving during this year’s campaign as the needs of many in our community continue to be high.”

Western Wheel publisher Shaun Jessome said there has been a significant increase in the number of donors year after year, highlighting one's ability to make a singular donation that benefits seven groups. The Wheel is looking to expand the “Santa’s Elves” recognition program for business donations to Western Wheel Cares.

"We're honoured to be able to do this," Jessome said of the annual campaign.

One hundred per cent of donations are passed through to the charities.

This year’s campaign runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.

The Western Wheel will feature one of the seven charities for the next seven weeks.

To donate to Western Wheel Cares, mail cheques to Box 150, Okotoks, AB, T1S 2A2 or visit Western Wheel Cares - OkotoksToday.ca.

As well, you can drop by the Wheel office at 9 McRae St., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch) weekdays or call 587-325-6234.