MBiz

27 mbiz | may 2015 c e n t r a l involved in three of the projects without knowing they were all part of the same secret mission. "The agents loved the challenge," says McDonald. "It was great to see how as little as $100 can change a person and a community!" These proud Agents of Change chose to accept their missions, and this is what they accomplished: • Alana Bolton, manager of business development at Community Futures Heartland, organized a "compliments booth" at Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI), where 85 students exchanged compliments and received a flower and a photograph as a memento. The event encouraged kindness and built self-confidence among the students. • Guy Moffat, RBC branch manager, used his community connections to more than double his original $100. He donated $225 to two city committees: Parks, and Active Transportation. • Lindsey Jordan, the branch coordinator at Hub International Insurance, hosted a community clean-up and food drive for the Salvation Army, garnering 105 pounds of food. • Jeff Dubois, funeral director at McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel, "traded-up" his $100 into $500 of grocery certificates. Three schools and two organizations received 400 nutritious school snacks, 30 meals for seniors, and food for 15 to 20 local families that use food bank services. • Kirsten Trimble, a student at PCI, organized Costumes for a Cause. She and her friends collected and distributed 88 Halloween costumes to local youngsters. • Pastor Nathan Weselake from Portage Alliance Church, created the Shalom Award. Two students, one from PCI and one from Westpark School, will each receive $1,000 for embodying the spirit of the word "shalom." Local businesses are on board and the Shalom Award will continue on. • Cubs and Scouts leader Stacy Turner took her cash to the kitchen. The cubs baked and sold cookies to raise even more money for several projects. Two benches were built and donated, playground equipment was painted, and the remainder of the money purchased food for the Salvation Army food bank. • Tyler Dunn, sales manager at Craig Dunn Motor City, created a Facebook page challenging people to post their best "My Portage" message, with the $100 sweetening the deal as prize money. • Ember Rodgers of HYPE (Helping Young People Engage) established the "Proud to be a Portager Colour Run." Brightly coloured cornstarch tossed onto white T-shirts lit up the run and raised $1,040 for Big Brothers/ Big Sisters. ■ chamber members chris tompkins (left) and preston meier flank top-secret agent of change guy moffat, rbc branch manager. Photos by Darcy Finley central carman & community chamber of commerce chambre de commerce de notre-dame macgregor & diStrict chamber of commerce oakVille & diStrict chamber of commerce portage la prairie chamber of commerce treherne & diStrict chamber of commerce

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