There’s a new superhero in town. Okotoks Sobeys has become a Health Champion for the Sheep River Health Trust. Health Champions are donors who commit to $5,000 per year for a minimum of three years. David Gilbert, owner of Sobeys, said the store is happy to support the health trust because of the kinds of initiatives the trust focuses on. “They’re all very near and dear and they’re very tangible,” said Gilbert. “There’s a use, there’s a high need, and I think the residents in Okotoks and the whole region the Sheep River Health Trust covers, the residents of this area have benefitted.” This is the first year the health trust has had Health Champions. It’s a new fundraising program that asks supporters to provide an ongoing commitment rather than donating to individual events throughout the year. The health trust holds its radiothon in June, but will no longer have a golf tournament. Instead, it will look for long-term support. Gilbert said it’s important to give back to the community, and he likes the more wholistic approach of donating to the trust. “I was born and raised here and now I’m living and working in Okotoks and raising my own family,” said Gilbert. “With that time also comes relationships with customers. You see different people who have been touched by the good work the health trust does.” Tanya Thorn, Sheep River Health Trust fund development officer, said the trust is pleased to have Sobeys on-board with its new fundraising initiative. Currently Okotoks Ford, Anthem United and Century 21 are also Health Champions. The trust is hoping to sign on six more champions by the end of 2018. With Health Champions committing to $5,000 per year, the trust has solid funding in place and can make plans to support initiatives at Okotoks Urgent Care or Oilfields Hospital. “It gives us stable funding,” said Thorn. “A lot of the times when you’re dealing with sponsorship and tied around events, every year you’re going out and you’re asking, ‘Can you come back and give us money again this year?’ “It makes it difficult to do some long-range planning in terms of the projects you can support.”
