Store manager jailed for a worthy cause
Christian Nelson sat in a tiny cell Saturday, hoping customers at Lowe’s would take pity on him.
The manager at the McLeod Road home improvement store was in “jail” for much of the afternoon to mark the launch of Lowe’s Canada Heroes program.
The fundraising campaign runs until May 14 and customers are invited to donate $2 in support of Heartland Forest.
To kick off the campaign, Nelson was locked in the slammer and couldn’t leave until he raised $200.
“We did this last year and it was a lot of fun, even though most people paid to try to keep me in jail,” he joked. “It’s a great way to engage our customers.”
Each year, Lowe’s employees across Canada band together to adopt volunteer projects with local non-profit agencies or public schools to help make a meaningful difference in the community.
“We’re very honoured to be selected,” said Katie Clarkson of Heartland Forest.
“It’s great to have a partnership with a place like Lowe’s because we have the same beliefs … we just want to better things for our community.”
Each year, more than 20,000 people visit Heartland Forest, which features 38 hectares of accessible trails and facilities. Funds raised will support the maintenance and expansion of Heartland Forest’s various paths and bridges. Lowe’s staff will also volunteer their time and skills to assist with the renewal project.
Nelson plans to have a manager in jail each weekend for the duration of the campaign, which hopes to raise $5,000.
Lowe’s Canada will match 50 per cent of all funds raised through the in-store campaigns. alangley@postmedia.com