Surrey Food Bank received a $10,800 boost during an annual holiday party attended by 500 businesspeople in Guildford.
The money was raised during a Seasonal Sizzle business reception Thursday, Dec. 5 at Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel. Admission was by food and/or cash donation to the food bank, also given close to 702 lbs. of non-perishable food, in partnership with The Full Cupboard.
The event was co-hosted by Surrey Board of Trade and South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce, two organizations that plan to merge. Sponsored by Envision Financial Financial and ThoughtsWin Systems, the party included live entertainment, networking, vendors, food, a photo booth, prizes and more.
Indra Bhan is interim CEO of Surrey Board of Trade and acting executive director of South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce.
“We are deeply grateful to the businesses that joined us for this annual Christmas celebration and showed incredible generosity by supporting the Surrey Food Bank," Bhan said in a news release.
"Their contributions will help provide essential food support to families throughout Surrey, especially as inflation and the high cost of living continues to place significant strain on households. This event is a powerful reminder of the vital role businesses play in giving back and strengthening our community."
Meantime, the official merger agreement between Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) and South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce has been signed and petitions delivered to the federal government for approval, according to Rory Morgan, chair of SBOT.
"This significant milestone is a result of months of work by the task force that included detailed discussions to ensure both organizations are properly represented in the new Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade," Morgan wrote in an email to SBOT members.
The task force will support staff as they merge into one team with Bhan leading the evaluation of operational activities, Morgan added.
"Each board will manage their own governance responsibilities until the new year when they merge into one transition board. The membership can count on the Surrey Board of Trade team to provide the same level of service excellence during this time."
Also, a search for a CEO is underway, Morgan noted, "and we are excited about the excellent candidates that have submitted their resumes. If you have any questions about the CEO role or have an interest in applying, please reach out to Watson Advisors at letwatsonhelpyou@watsoninc.ca."
