McDonald’s franchisees win Spruce Grove award
City of Spruce Grove Community Spirit Award
Eric and Helene Thys are the inaugural recipients of Spruce Grove’s Community Spirit Award.
The owners of the McDonalds restaurants in Spruce Grove and Stony Plain were honoured at the Chambers of Commerce Awards on October 17 for their ongoing contributions to local causes.
In presenting the award Mayor Stuart Houston noted that the Thys have been instrumental in securing several Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities grants for community projects that promote accessibility, or support children with disabilities.
The Thys were nominated by Ecole Broxton Park School, where a break-out room for autistic children and a computer lab for children with disabilities were funded by three such grants.
They also secured a grant for $25,000 for Rotary Playscape earlier this year, to help make it accessible for children with mobility problems. Camp He-Ho-Ha and Westview Health Centre also received grants for accessibility programs and equipment thanks to the Thys, and they are frequent sponsors of City-run events like Halloween Hoopla and Canada Day celebrations.
The mayor presented the winners with a framed limited edition print of a graphite pencil sketch called “Buds” by renowned local artist Owen ‘Pencilneck’ Garratt.
The Community Spirit Award was conceived as a means to honour the many businesses that show their community spirit by supporting local programs and initiatives. Eight nominations were received this year.
