Sobey’s Big Red Chair’ity auction raises $23,000 for Atlantic communities

After a busy summer, Sobeys’ Big Red Chairs have found new homes and helped raise more than $23,000 for charities in communities across Atlantic Canada.

To close out the #Chairshare campaign in celebration of Sobeys’ 110th anniversary and Canada’s 150th, 83 Sobeys stores across Atlantic Canada held a Chair’ity auction to find new homes for the signature Canada-red oversized Adirondack chairs and to raise funds for local organizations.

“Our #Chairshare campaign was all about our communities - from the sourcing of the chairs, the smiles on customers’ faces in our stores, and now the incredible funds raised for local charities,” said Paul Macleod, vicepresident, Atlantic Store Operations, Sobeys Inc.

The Big Red Chairs were built by five social enterprises across Nova Scotia that employ adults with disabilities:

·CACL Community Workshop, Antigonish · Corridor Community Options, Enfield · Penny Lane Enterprises, Milton · Haley Street Adult Services Centre Society, North Sydney · New Boundaries, Windsor

Organizations that will benefit from the Chair’ity Auction include the five social enterprises as well as Special Olympics groups, community children’s organizations and local mental health centres.

“It meant a lot to us to be asked by Sobeys to produce the chairs and now to be a recipient of the funds raised. It’s been a fun project from start to finish,” said Jeff Teasdale, Executive Director of CACL Community Workshop, Antigonish.

SUBMITTED PHOTO This photo was taken at the beginning of the Big Red Chair partnership in spring 2017 at the Corridor Community Options For Adults facility in Elmsdale, N.S. This chair was one of the first chairs to be completed and was ready to wrapped so it could be...