Vernon

Photo: Contributed - Valley First Credit Union

Cory Fuhr (at centre in black-framed glasses) and Valley First president Paulette Rennie (partly obscured in black and white) stand with a sculpture prize that helped raise $978 for the needy.

A Vernon resident’s unique mechanical arm sculpture will help hand out food to the needy this fall.

Valley First Credit Union raised $978 through a raffle of credit union member Cory Fuhr’s metalwork piece, a mechanical arm which stands four-feet high.

The cash will go to food banks in the region, part of Valley First’s Feed the Valley program.

Vernon’s Wendy Craven won the arm, while the second prize, a $500 Valley First registered savings plan, went to Armstrong’s Suzie Sims.

“Cory’s generous donation has helped raise the profile of hunger in our regions as well as some much needed dollars for food banks up and down the valley. We can’t thank Cory enough for making this happen,” says Christa Phillips of Valley First.

Since its creation in March 2010, Feed the Valley has raised more than $325,000 and collected more than 19,000 pounds of food donations for food banks throughout the Okanagan, Similkameen, and Thompson regions. Its goal is to raise $1 million by 2020.

“I thought I could help make a bigger impact by donating a piece of my work,” explains Fuhr. “Valley First’s commitment to fighting hunger in our communities really demonstrates a commitment to people over profit, and I’m proud to be part of that.”

Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, is B.C.'s third-largest credit union, with 37 branches and 29 insurance offices throughout the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Kitimatm, and Okanagan, Similkameen, and Thompson valleys. First West has approximately $6.6 billion in assets under administration, more than 169,000 members and close to 1,400 employees.