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‘Found money’ at RimRock Casino in Port Alberni helps local charities

Abbeyfield House, Kiwanis Hilton Children’s Centre, Salvation Army all benefit
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Sherrill Taylor, shift manager at RimRock Casino, left, delivers a $1,729 donation to Julie Spencer, executive director of Kiwanis Hilton Children’s Centre, on April 14, 2022. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Have you ever been to RimRock Casino, cashed out with a few cents remaining, and left the slip of paper there as a “donation?”

Those donations add up, says Sherrill Taylor, shift manager at RimRock Casino (formerly Chances RimRock). So much so, that the casino is able to donate thousands of dollars to different charities in the Alberni Valley.

“We find TITO tickets that are left or change on the floor that somebody dropped. That goes into a big bucket, and then it’s donated,” Taylor said. “We call it our ‘accumulated found money donations.’”

They split the money between three charities. “We haven’t done it for three years (due to COVID-19 closures) so we’re trying to catch up.”

This year’s donations are going to Abbeyfield House, the Salvation Army and Kiwanis Hilton Children’s Centre.

Abbeyfield received more than $3,600. The donation will likely go toward a project suggested by a resident, board member Rosemarie Buchanan said.

“It will definitely go toward development of residents’ activities,” said fellow Abbeyfield board member Marjorie Jarrett.

Abbeyfield is a congregate living home and does not receive government funding to operate; it depends on private funding from residents, grants and other donations such as that from RimRock Casino.

“This is really important to us,” Buchanan said.

Kiwanis Hilton Children’s Centre received $1,730, which will go toward maintenance and repair of the children’s centre. “We’re replacing a floor in our front foyer area, so it will be put to good use, for sure,” Hilton Centre and Alberni Valley Childcare Society executive director Julie Spencer said.

Salvation Army received an undisclosed amount.



susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com

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Susie Quinn

About the Author: Susie Quinn

A journalist since 1987, I proudly serve as the Alberni Valley News editor.
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