Cheques all around! 14 Wing Greenwood’s Combined Charities workplace giving program has finalized its 2025 campaign: $38,000 has recently been disbursed to 52 local and regional charitable organizations – and the base’s efforts continue.
May 19, 14 Wing Greenwood Colonel Luc Vachon and Deputy Wing Commander Branch Chief Warrant Officer Jamie Vallis greeted Scotiabank Greenwood staffers Samantha Kennedy and Mona Rand, who brought the bank’s community matched funds program $3,000 contribution from December’s Festival of Trees event. The Scotiabank staff volunteer with Combined Charities to stage the Greenwood Mall-based decorated tree and prize auction, the biggest public event in the Combined Charities’ annual campaign – and a community favourite.
“Thank you for your support, for your support of our military community,” Vachon said, “and for the support, with Combined Charities, of lots of hard-working people supporting military families, seniors, veterans and the wider community.
“The wing likes to be involved in all the things that matter: what happens in the community is good for us- and everybody. We’re connected.”
The bank’s contribution will be added to what Combined Charities has already started building this year, through dress with a difference Fridays, 50/ 50 draws and other activities. Next up is the June 25 Load the Lab food drive: base units will collect non-perishable food items, and it will all be collected with public contributions and stuffed in the back of the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum’s airpark display Labrador helicopter. Canex will also collect donations from June 15, and staff will run a freewill offering lunchtime BBQ. Base partners will also be on site with information, fun activities and other displays. The 2025 event – the first – collected around $2,700 in food and cash donations.
The 2025 disbursement, that $38,000, was divided in varying cheque amounts from $500 to $3,000 in several service organization categories: animal welfare $1,000, children and families $9,800, food programs $10,500, healthcare $7,200, military and veterans $6,500, and environmental causes $1,000. Many of the recipient organizations are recommended by 14 Wing Defence Team members year to year.
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June 25 Load the Lab food drive and BBQ a Combined Charities, community effort
Thursday, June 25, between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; 14 Wing Greenwood Combined Charities invites you to help Load the Lab in a base- and community-wide food drive!
Bring your non-perishable items to the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum’s airpark display Labrador helicopter, and stuff it inside (a great chance to see inside this heritage Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter!). Canex will have a collection box set up in-store from June 15, and 14 Wing units will all be collecting in their workspaces through June to bring over, too. All food donations will go to the Upper Room Food Bank in Kingston.
While you’re here, take in the Canex-hosted BBQ: your freewill cash offering will be shared between the Berwick Food Bank and the Twelve Baskets Food Bank in Nictaux.
Special guests have been invited to set up 14 Wing and community displays, information tables and show-and-tell equipment during the Lab-loading. Come visit!
