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Souls Harbour teams up with local McDonalds to raise funds and awareness

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Local McDonalds are teaming up with Souls Harbour to give back to those in need.

Yarmouth’s Starrs Road McDonalds and Bridgewater’s Dufferin Street McDonalds are hosting a fundraiser from Oct. 1-3. 

Director of Operations Ross Miller says they chose to work with Souls Harbour because he believes the work they’re doing is important and deserves to be amplified, and because they’ve had good experiences working with them before.

Souls Harbour is a rescue mission dedicated to helping people facing addiction, poverty and housing issues. 

Recently, they just unveiled Souls Harbour South in Yarmouth, a social enterprise and income stream for the company donated by local celebrity Mandy Rennehan. 

Both restaurant locations will have activities, games, a family photo booth and more.

Miller says the Bridgewater location will even have a karaoke machine and talent show.

“People can walk on in and have a chance to show their stuff,” said Miller. “Magicians, magic tricks, dancing, it doesn’t have to be singing. Whatever talent you have come on in and show your stuff, you can win a prize.”

They’ll be accepting non perishable food donations, personal care products and have a merchandise table where all proceeds go to Souls Harbour. 

Over the course of the fundraiser Miller and franchise owner Tom Hickey will also be doing in-person interviews with new potential employees.

“In today’s environment there are a lot of people looking for employment and our doors are open,” said Miller. “If they fit into what we’re looking to do and we fit into what they want, we’re more than willing to listen to people and hire.”

kitty cat

Yarmouth Pet Valu fundraises third most across all Canadian locations

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A Nova Scotia pet store is one of the country’s biggest fundraisers.

Pet Valu in Yarmouth, raised more than $21,000 in June as a part of the company’s Pet Appreciation month.

According to a press release from Pet Valu, the total was the third most among more than 700 stories across the country. In total, the company raised a record-setting $2.6 million over the course of June, surpassing the previous record set in 2024 by $400,000. 

“We are deeply touched by the generosity of our devoted pet lovers who stepped up at a time when so many Canadian animal rescues, shelters and charities need essential funds and products,” said Greg Ramier, CEO of Pet Valu. “We established Pet Appreciation Month in 2011 to provide much needed support for local animal organizations doing invaluable work to help pets in need in the communities in which we operate. We are very proud that Pet Appreciation Month is now the largest of Pet Valu’s Companions for Change™ annual initiatives and that this year’s donations exceeded all previous years.”

Yarmouth’s Pet Valu donated its money and supplies to Friends of Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR). The group’s Facebook page lists them as “a local group of caring individuals, located in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, who are trying to curb the reproduction of feral cats by spaying and neutering one cat at a time.”