“We’ve always been deeply interested in the college,” says John Stewart, owner of Craig’s. The business typically donates $3,000 a year to the college which includes rodeo club sponsorship and support of numerous college events including the annual PBR. It also includes two $500 awards for interior design technology students.
This year that figure will increase substantially as Craig’s recently donated $10,000 to the college’s Centennial Campaign.
“When we learned about the Centennial Campaign, we knew we’d take part. For a milestone of this magnitude, we wanted to contribute in a meaningful way,” says Stewart.
While Craig’s has benefitted from the influx of students who attend Lakeland each year, what Stewart particularly appreciates about Lakeland is the community involvement of its employees and their families.
“Staff members and their families have always been an integral part of our community. I can’t name a community organization that doesn’t involve someone from the college. The efforts of these people add substantially to the strength of all these organizations in town,” he says.
Stewart wasn’t born until the college’s third decade of operations, but he remembers many of the college’s historic moments including name changes, new buildings and the fire that destroyed Alumni Hall in 1985. He also recalls when the college was used as a training centre for the Canadian Women’s Army Corps during World War II. “I was a kid at the time but I do remember that there were a lot of women in brown uniforms walking around town,” he says.
Phil Allen, vice president of advancement at Lakeland College, says Craig’s has the distinction of being the longest consecutive donor to Lakeland’s student awards program. The Craig Brothers Award was first presented in 1927. “We’re very proud to have this close connection with Craig’s and the Stewart family. They’ve done a lot for our students and for our college. This donation will help us make our centennial celebration that much more meaningful,” says Allen.
To learn more about Lakeland College centennial celebrations, visit www.lakelandcollege.ca/centennial.
