listened to an interview with a member of the Chapman family whose ice cream business is a leading employer in the small town of Markdale here in Ontario. Ice cream needs to be frozen -- that's my big reveal for the day -- and the company's freezers have been part of the regional pandemic plan for decades. When they heard of the necessity for ultra-cold freezers to store the first COVID vaccine they went to their supplier and bought two for the health unit.
This generous act is entirely in keeping with the civic mindedness of the family. When the factory was destroyed by fire a decade ago they kept their employees on the payroll until it was rebuilt. During the early days of the pandemic they bumped up wages by two dollars an hour (they already paid above minimum wage) and as time went on decided to keep the increase.
Some online snooping reveals that the Chapman's have given millions of dollars to the local hospital and hospice centre. When the Markdale school was slated to be closed they committed two million to keep it open, feeling that it would help ensure that present and potential employees would see the community as an attractive place to raise families.
Chapman's also makes Yukon Caribou Bars, and they give 25 cents from the sale of every box to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society to protect caribou habitat.
During the pandemic we've heard that some corporations have applied for federal COVID relief even though they were profitable and paying dividends to shareholders.
Let's keep in mind the Chapman's Ice Cream business and the generous family behind it. I have no idea whether the family have a religious faith, but they sure exemplify gospel values of generosity and compassion. That's the cold, hard truth.
1 comment:
I had no idea that Chapman's was doing such wonderful things. Makes me glad I ate all that Chapman's ice cream as a kid. If I do buy any ice cream these days, it'll be the brand I look for. Thanks for the "scoop" on this company, David.
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