Thanks to the passion and dedication of staff at Orillia’s Home Depot and the generosity of their customers, more than $100,000 has been donated to the Orillia Youth Centre in the past three years.
On Thursday night, Home Depot staff presented their latest donation – a cheque for $10,008 – to the local youth facility. The money is raised through the Orange Door Project.
“We have had a relationship with Home Depot since 2015 and during that time period, the Orange Door Project has raised close to $89,000 for the youth centre, which is utterly amazing,” said youth centre director Kevin Gangloff.
On top of that, local Home Depot staff were instrumental in the local youth centre receiving a $25,000 grant through the Orange Door Awards Program.
“That is over $100,000 they’ve worked with us to raise,” said Gangloff. “If not for their dedication and support for us, we don’t have those dollars coming in to support young people in our community.”
Gangloff noted cashiers are diligent in asking customers to donate and said many staff come in on their own time to volunteer to help with barbecues and other events that also raise funds.
“They’ve all bought into this and we thank them very much,” said Gangloff.
Mike Hollmann, Orange Door captain at the Orillia Home Depot, and several staff members were on hand at Thursday night’s council meeting to make the presentation to Gangloff.
“It’s a great cause and we are thankful to our (employees),” said Hollmann. “(They) all do an amazing job.”
Home Depot staff, over the years, have also volunteered their time to install cupboards at the Front Street youth centre and have lent a hand to refurbish the bathrooms and paint the walls. Home Depot has donated an oven and other items.
The Orillia Youth Centre is open seven days a week and welcomes youth from all walks of life. It’s a community centre where youth can take part in arts, music, cooking, receive help with homework, find support for housing, mental health support, or just hang out in a safe and supervised environment.
