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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2018-04-05, Page 3THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018. PAGE 3. CEO commits ,4,500 to Festival over three years Helping out Blyth Festival General Manager Rachael King and Artistic Director Gil Garratt were happy to receive the first of three $1,500 donations from CIBC CEO Victor Dodig. The donations came after Blyth CIBC employee Lissa Kolkman wrote Dodig in the wake of the announcement of the closure of the branch. From left: King, Garratt and Blyth CIBC Branch representatives Kolkman, Ashley Bromley and Gerry Upthegrove. (Photo submitted) By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen CIBC CEO Victor Dodig has committed his company to $1,500 per year to the Blyth Festival for the next three years after an empassioned plea from a current employee. The process began with Blyth's Lissa Kolkman, who decided to write to Dodig, inviting him to spend a day in Blyth. Kolkman, who has worked for the bank for 14 years (eight of which were in Blyth), made the decision to write her company's CEO when she received word that the Blyth branch would be closing. "I am writing a letter as an invitation for you to join me as a guest in my great village for a day. It's an invitation to be my guest, but also an invitation to explore more, expand more and choose a different view," Kolkman began her letter. "Rural Ontario really is different and has different needs than urban centres. Our rural Ontario and rural Canada as a whole are struggling to be heard over the din of big April euchre, shoot games set From Marilyn's Desk By Marilyn Craig Call 523-9318 Happy anniversary to Gerald and Nancy Hakkers who celebrate their anniversary on April 7. Happy birthday to Adeline Campbell of Huronlea, Brussels and John Stadelmann who celebrate April 5 and William Nesbit, April 8. Don't forget the quiche and salad luncheon on Thursday, April 12 at the Blyth Legion Hall. Take-outs and deliveries are available for in - town residents only. Call 519-523- 9535 if you wish to order. Come out and enjoy the delicious food. Next euchre at the Blyth Legion is Monday, April 16. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and cards begin at 1 p.m. Next shoot game of cards is on Tuesday, April 17 at Blyth United Church auditorium. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and Shoot begins at 1 p.m. If you don't know how to play come on out and someone will be there to help you. Greeting worshippers at Blyth United Church on Easter Sunday was Marilyn Craig. Ushering were Nancy Hakkers and Laurie Sparling. Marilyn Scott was organist and Katie Dockstader, choir director. Kevin Van Spronsen ran the Power Point. The pink hydrangea was place at the front in memory of Don Craig. Hillary MacDonald welcomed everyone to church on this cold but sunny Easter Morning. She drew everyone's attention to the announcements in printed in the bulletin with special attention that the April meat pie orders will be the last until the fall. Beef pies are being made on Wednesday, April 18. Call Donna Moore at 519-523-9855 if you wish to order. The ladies also make fruit pies, both individual and large, from time to time and can be Have you heard? The Citizen ordered by calling Donna Moore. She also mentioned that we are celebrating our renovations with a dedication open house on Saturday, April 14 with a come -and -go with music and refreshments from 1-4 p.m. The congregation watched a short Easter video from the United Continued on page 8 now accepts Visa, MasterCard and Debit at our Blyth location Convenient and easy to • advertise • subscribe • buy books Call or drop in to our Blyth office to make a payment today 413 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 cities. I invite you to hear our voice." In an interview with The Citizen, Kolkman said that she was "shocked, but not surprised" when she found out her home branch would be closing. It was then, when a friend spoke to Kolkman about it being her "home" branch that news of the closure really began to sink in. Not only is the Blyth location her home branch because it's where she's worked for the last eight years, but it's also the branch in her home community of Blyth. She said that writing Dodig that letter was cathartic for her, but, as a long-time advocate for all things Blyth, also a sincere invitation to share her community with the head of her company. Not only did she want to show him that things in Blyth are getting more exciting by the day, thanks to advancements on a number of projects and funding announcements, but she also wanted to show him why the community is so important to so many people. In her letter, Kolkman spoke about many of the great features of Blyth, including the Blyth Festival, Memorial Hall and the Blyth 14/19 project. She also focused on a number of family -run businesses, such as Sparling's Propane until recently, Blyth Cowbell Brewing Company, the Hubbard's rutabaga plant and businesses run by local families like the Scrimgeours, who just sold their grocery store after years of community ownership, Howsons and Gussos, as well as The Old Mill and Bainton's, Blyth Farm Cheese and Blyth Building Supplies, which was only recently sold to Home Hardware. She also mentioned the new development slated for the north end of town as well as many other potential projects for the future. Kolkman said she never expected a response, so she was pretty surprised when Dodig personally wrote her back. He thanked her for her invitation, saying that he hoped to visit Huron County one day, but added that the company would be making a donation to the Blyth Festival in the amount of $1,500 per year for the next three years. She said she's pleased with the donation after the business decision that's been made. However, had Dodig accepted her invitation, she did have a plan for a day in Blyth. She said would have taken him around town and shown him the Greenway Trail and the main street before perhaps a coffee at Queens Bakery and lunch at the Part II Bistro, followed by a visit to Cowbell and several other local businesses. She said she just really wanted to show off her village if given the chance. Last week, Kolkman and a handful of other CIBC employees presented the Blyth Festival with the first of the three cheques, which was accepted by General Manager Rachael King and Artistic Director Gil Garratt. FROM BLYTH For me! (Octavius Winslow) "The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me!" Galatians 2:20 Is Jesus precious to my heart? Is He the object of my supreme admiration and delight? Does He have my warmest affection? Do I love Jesus above all? I must light the torch of my affection for Christ — at the altar of Calvary. I must go there, and learn and believe what the love of Jesus is to me — the vastness of that love — the self-sacrifice of that love — how that love of Jesus... laboured for me, and wept for me, and bled for me, and suffered for me, and died for me! Can I stand before this love — this love... so precious, so great, so enduring, so self-consuming so changeless — and know that... His sin -atoning sacrifice was for me, His cross was for me, His agony was for me, His scorn and insult was for me, His death was for me — and feel no sensibility, no emotion, no love to Jesus? Impossible! Do not be cast down, then, in vain regrets that your love to Christ is so frigid, so fickle, so dubious. Go and muse upon the reality and the greatness of the Saviour's love to you — and if love can inspire love — while you muse, the fire will burn, and your soul shall be all in flame with love to Jesus! A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-291-1956