Campbell’s executive to address SIFE Okanagan team

Okanagan College Media Advisory 

Good news keeps rolling in for members of Okanagan College’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE Okanagan) as they undertake a regional hunger awareness project in conjunction with Campbell Canada - Let’s Can Hunger.

The students received word last week that their efforts up and down the valley have earned the team a $1,000 bursary from Campbell Soup Company to help achieve their goals of raising 80,000 pounds of food for local food banks and not-for-profit organizations such as the Women’s Resource Centre.

Let’s Can Hunger activities have been taking place all week at each of the College’s four campuses. SIFE Okanagan has collected more than 30,000 pounds of food toward their goal. In Vernon, SIFE students partnered with local schools to raise awareness about hunger issues in the Okanagan. Vernon schools alone donated 20,000 pounds of food to SIFE in support of the Let’s Can Hunger initiative.

SIFE students are spreading their message of hunger awareness around the Okanagan this week with a variety of activities, all leading up to their main fundraising event – the SIFE Charity Gala – which takes place on Friday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in Okanagan College’s Centre for Learning. Tickets to the networking event are available for $75 or can be purchased at a group rate of $400 for six. The event includes one complimentary drink, food provided by Cabana Bar and Grill and live entertainment.

The Gala will feature a keynote address by Mark Childs, Vice President of Marketing for Campbell Canada. Childs made the commitment to address Okanagan College SIFE students and the general public in Kelowna after SIFE Okanagan won the national 2010 Let’s Can Hunger challenge at the Canadian SIFE competition last May. The team from the College collected 36,000 pounds of food – more than a third of the national goal.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mark to Okanagan College,” said Sattu Dhaliwal, Co-president of SIFE Okanagan. “It is a rare and unique opportunity to hear from a business leader with such an extensive and impressive career and we can’t wait to tell him more about our upcoming initiatives and projects in our region.”

In his role at Campbell’s, Childs provides thought and team leadership for the Canadian soup, beverage and cracker portfolio and actively participates on the Canadian Senior Leadership Team.

“I am looking forward to meeting the SIFE Okanagan team, discussing their new hunger projects and highlighting the initiatives that Campbell’s is taking to alleviate hunger in this country, said Childs.”

He has 20 years of proven marketing and sales leadership experience in consumer packaged goods. Prior to his Campbell role, he held progressive marketing and sales positions at Tribute Entertainment Group and Kellogg Company in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Originally from the U.K., Mark is a French bilingual communicator and attended Groupe ESC Business School in Reims, France, following his studies at Queen Mary’s College in England.

SIFE Okanagan is reaching out to the general public for support in reaching their goal for Let’s Can Hunger. Teams of students will be at the following locations this week collecting non-perishable food items and cash donations:

Friday, Jan. 28 – Westside Warriors Hockey Game, Royal LePage Arena (7 p.m.)

Saturday, Jan. 29 – Westside Warriors Hockey Game, Royal LePage Arena (7 p.m.)

Saturday, Jan. 29 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Wal-Mart Fill the Tent event in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton.

Friday, Feb. 4 - 7 p.m. SIFE Charity Gala & Keynote Address – Okanagan College Centre for Learning Building, Kelowna campus

For more information about Let’s Can Hunger or SIFE Okanagan, please visit: www.sifeokanagan.ca. To purchase tickets to the SIFE Charity Gala, please contact Brandi Callaghan – [email protected] or call 250-808-4740.