TR Days Society raises $50k through Tumbler Ridge Strong hoody campaign

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — A local non-profit’s partnership with a business in Tumbler Ridge raised $52,239.95 as a result of its ‘Tumbler Ridge Strong’ Hoodie campaign.

TR Days Society, a non-profit organization within the district of Tumbler Ridge, made the announcement in a Facebook post on Wednesday, April 22nd. 

Proceeds from the campaign will benefit Tumbler Ridge’s Parent Advisory Council for survivors of the February shooting and their families.

The TR Days Society organizes several events in the district during the year, including its Fall Fair.

Society president Terry Cosgrove spoke to Energeticcity.ca about the campaign, which was spawned by the mass shooting in February in Tumbler Ridge, which left nine people – including the assailant – dead.

Cosgrove, who lives in Tumbler Ridge, described her initial reaction as a case of “hitting as close to home as it possibly can.”

“It’s hard because when you live in a small town, you know everybody,” said Cosgrove. “My daughter works at the school. All my friends work at the schools. I’m close with a lot of the kids because they all volunteer for me.”

Cosgrove was informed about the logo, which is emblazoned on the clothing, a green backdrop of the mountains and wildlife against a body of water, from a friend in Ontario.

“[My friend] said ‘you should make t-shirts’,” recalls Cosgrove. “ I said, ‘no I don’t want to do that. That’s not what we do. I don’t have the capability to do anything like that. I think it’s a little odd [to be] profiting at the time [of that].”

“But then the next day, as I’m sitting there thinking about it, I am like ‘okay, actually, this kind of does make sense.’”

She contacted Curtis Miedzinski, owner of local shop Versatile Vinyl, which began the campaign. The store does custom owner vinyl printing and other services.

“We thought we would just do a few hundred to start,” said Miedzinski. “But then it got a little bit out of control.”

An order of 800 hoodies embroidered with the logo sold out quickly. Then it was 1,100, which sold swiftly as well.

Demand was so high that Cosgrove issued a bulletin to anyone with a press in town. Setting up a temporary workshop at Tumbler Ridge fairgrounds, volunteers gave their time to produce the hoodies.

Further assistance for online orders came from the non-profit Johnny Malcolm Foundation, a Tumbler Ridge youth sports charity.

Cosgrove said as many as 35 volunteers helped with pressing, packaging and shipping out the hoodies, which are no longer available online but can be purchased at the Visitor Centre at 265 Southgate Street in Tumbler Ridge for $65.

They have expanded to include t-shirts for $35 as well.

“This was the most shocking thing that you could ever think of happening,” said Cosgrove. “ And to happen in our small town, people just didn’t know what to do. You’re looking for a way to help, and be occupied.”

“People were coming out asking, ‘what can we do?’ It was amazing the way the whole town came together.”

Cosgrove said a benefit concert will take place for the Parents Advisory Council to help shooting victims will also take place in the fall.