Dow Honda hosted a breakfast during Ontario’s Family Day weekend to thank Ottawa’s immigration and refugee volunteers for their efforts.
On Feb. 13, 2016, about 200 guests, including donors, members from aid organizations and recently landed refugee families, were treated to a hot breakfast at the dealership’s new facility at 1 Colonnade Road.
Special guests included Catherine McKenna, Minister of The Environment and Climate Change, and Dave Smith, a local philanthropist and restaurateur, who served breakfast and offered his personal donation items.
As part of the event, Dow Honda owner Jeff Mierins presented a donated Honda Odyssey van to the Catholic Centre for Immigrants to help support transportation for future refugees.
Right after the breakfast, the dealership said the donated van shuttled a newly arrived refugee family to their first temporary accommodation.
Fundraising proceeds went to the WorldSkills agency for use in providing career counselling and employment opportunities to recent immigrants.
“Hopefully our Thank You Event will shed a little more light on the ongoing efforts of these volunteers who help our communities renew and grow…and serve as a challenge to other businesses to keep participating and helping out however they can,” said Mierins, whose family escaped persecution from Latvia in 1944.
