CUPE 255 donates $10,000 to local breakfast programs

In the spirit of the holiday season, Local 255 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 255) has donated $10,000 to various breakfast programs in Bruce, Grey, Huron and Wellington counties. The presentation was made Tuesday morning at Ecole Elgin Market Public School, Kincardine.
 

Over the past five years, the union local has donated $50,000 to various food programs in the region.
 

“Our members are front-line workers and see first-hand the challenges our communities’ residents go through,” said CUPE 255 president Mark O’Leary. “Donating to local breakfast programs is our union’s way of helping out in the community."
 

School breakfast programs throughout Bruce, Grey and Wellington North counties, from Arthur to Kincardine and Tobermory to Mount Forest and many other towns in between have received donations from the union local.
 

 The funds go to program co-ordinator Bev Gateman and are then divided up to each of the local programs.
 

“The existence of breakfast programs and the growing demand for these services at our schools speaks to the issues of high unemployment and inequality that exist in our society,” said O’Leary. “This donation is one way to help the children in our community and we encourage residents, other local unions and all our members and their families to help out in any way they can, especially during the holidays.”
 

CUPE 255 represents more than 180 municipal workers employed at Bruce Telecom in Kincardine, Bruce County Highways in Walkerton, the Town of Hanover, Town of Wellington North and the Township of Arran-Elderslie.


 

Students at Ecole Elgin Market Public School join members of CUPE Local 255 (at the back): Danica Chinnick (L), Scott Blackhall, Marietta Huysmans and Darren Hill in the presentation of $10,000 toward area breakfast programs; accepting, are school program volunteers Tafline Luhowy and Gabrielle Hertweck; photo courtesy of CUPE Local 255