North Peace Seniors Housing Society board member recognized as July co-op community champion

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — July’s co-op community champion is being recognized for her “amazing work” during the North Peace Housing Society radiothon.

On June 5, 100.1 Moose FM hosted the North Peace Seniors Housing Society radiothon to raise funds for a new roof for one of the society’s buildings. 

100.1 MooseFM and Energeticcity.ca are owned by the same parent company, Moose Media. 

The efforts of Linda Thornton, a member of the North Peace Seniors Housing Society board and owner of Better Cents Bookkeeping, did not go unnoticed during the radiothon. 

Thornton has been selected as the July co-op community champion due to her “amazing work” during the radiothon. 

Thornton said she was “absolutely flabbergasted” to find out she had been named co-op community champion. 

According to Thornton, she agreed to come and volunteer for an hour at the tent during the radiothon. 

Thornton said that when she got to the radiothon, things “were pretty quiet,” and that was when she came up with the idea of cold calling clients from her bookkeeping business to ask for support. 

“I started with [a client] that I know never says no, and I said, ‘hey, this is what I’m going to do, I’m going to start doing challenges between different industries in town, and you’re the first one, and I want you to give me this much money,’ said Thornton. 

After the first client decided to contribute, Thornton said she began calling other businesses in the area to get them to donate. 

According to Thornton, she stayed at the radiothon until 6 p.m., speaking with trucking companies, car washes, oil change bays and mechanics, urging them to donate to the cause. 

“Everybody was involved, it was so fun,” she said. 

Thornton has served as treasurer of the North Peace Seniors Housing Society since the society’s last annual general meeting. 

According to Thornton, being treasurer is “really exciting” because it allows for getting involved in the community and making decisions to improve seniors’ lives in the housing society.

Thornton said meeting seniors and knowing the society’s decisions actually make a difference to seniors has been “really rewarding.” 

Thornton added she was going to decline the position until her grandma told her she wished the area had someone to advocate for seniors and urged her to take the position. 

She also explained why it’s important for community members to support initiatives like the radiothon. 

“A lot of these non-profits rely solely on the communities and grants, and without getting our voice out there, we don’t have a voice; nobody hears us,” she said. 

As of July 9, the North Peace Seniors Housing Society said it has raised $80,000 of its $85,000 goal and the roof on one of its buildings has been completed. 

Thornton said Fort St. John has “time and time again” proven it can come together and help those in need. 

Thornton shared a message to the Fort St. John community.

“I want to thank everybody in Fort St. John, from individuals to businesses, for their continued support of the seniors,” she said. “Not only [for] them, but for any non-profit in town or even any individual you see needing help.”

Thornton will receive up to $100 in gift cards to Co-Op Fort St. John. 

If you know someone who you think deserves to be recognized for their work in the community, nominate them for next month’s Co-Op community champion online.