It's the right thing to do.

When you live in a community, you need to contribute to a community. That's simply the bottom line for me.

I'm no Bill Gates, no Oprah Winfrey and sorrily not Ellen DeGeneres either, but in my own small way I do my best to contribute. I can't help millions of people. I don't have millions of dollars. But what I know I CAN do to help, I will. And none of it, NONE OF IT, is done for a spotlight.

At the Diner we have a charitable mission to serve and assist families and youth first. To that end we have sponsored sports teams, family fun days, school and club events. We have also organized and executed fundraisers for specific families stricken by cancer.

Our organizational support focuses on the registered charities that are active and relevant in our community. Those being the Cancer Society, MS Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation and United Way.

As a staff, we are also animal lovers and find ways to personally support numerous animal charities including Funds for Furry Friends.

We are also asked several times a week to "kick in prizes" for socials, sports teams, and other activities. We are unable to meet all requests, for that we would need 5 times our current donation budget.

This year, with the assistance of our guests and events that are "donation in purchase" we will contribute more than $3000 to our community. $3000 sounds like a small number unless you are selling $2 ice cream cones.... then it's a huge number!

I'm not the best business person in the City. I pay less attention to what the accountant says and more to my heart and personal beliefs dictate. And luckily, as a sole proprietor who does NOT answer to a franchise.... I can do what I want. And what I WANT to do is to make our community the kind of place people are proud of and the kind of community that people want to live in.

Can I get a donation?

A week doesn't go by without someone asking for a donation at the restaurant. Whether it is for a school group, a kids' program, the Heart & Stroke fund or the high school car rally, someone is always asking for a donation.

So, how do you choose what to support?

I have a few guidelines that I use.

1) They must have documentation - a letter of request will do
2) Do they support/service our community?
3) Is their audience part of our customer base?
4) Is there a personal connection to a staff member?
5) Are they known to the restaurant? (A regular customer)
6) What are they looking for? (Cash, gift cards, product)
7) Do they fit our mandate of supporting community, youth sports, local agriculture?

I set aside $2500 annually for this type of donation. In consultation with the staff members, we decide what major charities are important to our families. Then each year we pursue donating to the Cancer Society, The MS Society, the local United Way and an organization that supports animal rescue/welfare.

We have been creative and had ice cream float sales, milkshake sales and other in-store events to raise funds for the Cancer Society and MS Research. When we do these events, I personally match all money raised and "double" the donation.

It has always been a morale booster for my staff to know that the charities that are important to their families are honoured and recognized at their workplace as well. Cancer has touches the lives of all of us. Together we are stronger. Acts of support are more than just a financial boost, they are an emotional one as well.

While we can't say "yes" to every donation request, we do politely explain our restaurant charity mandate, and offer support in creative ways whenever possible.