Generous family gives car co-op a boost

From now until May 31, every dollar donated to the Coast Car Co-op (CCC) – up to $10,000 in total contributions – will be matched by a CCC member from an inheritance that he received.

The Cameron family, of Gibsons, are using an inheritance to match donations to the Coast Car Co-op. Depending on the amounts received, the Camerons may end up giving $15,000 to the co-op. From the left, Mark, Sheila, Simon and Iris. Laurianne Grenier Deschênes photo

This innovative fundraiser is driven by two-year CCC treasurer, Mark Cameron. When Cameron’s uncle, Tom Aylesworth, passed away in 2015, he left $10,000 to his nephew. “Tom was the most selfless person I ever met,” Cameron says. “He was quick to contribute to anyone in need, and he was a strong supporter of social enterprise. I always felt that his gift was meant to be paid forward, and this is an ideal fit. More than 100 people rely on Coast Car Co-op vehicles for affordable transportation, and car-sharing reduces the number of vehicles that sit parked on Sunshine Coast roads. The co-op provides an important service to the community, but it needs a boost to shift from surviving to thriving.”

A stretch goal for this fundraising drive has been set. If the community matches the original $10,000, Cameron will contribute an additional $5,000, with an eye to upgrading the co-op’s aging truck.

“It’s not that we’re floating in money,” Cameron adds about his personal commitment to the co-op. “We live a simple lifestyle and we have a strong sense of abundance. We feel the need to contribute to the collective rather than going back to individual vehicle ownership. If we can turn Tom’s $10,000 into $25,000, then we will really put the co-op on the road to success.”

Donations to the CCC Fundraiser can be made at www.gofundme.com/DonationMatchingDrive. All donors who wish to be identified will be acknowledged on the CCC’s website. For more information, e-mail info@coastcarco-op.ca or call 778-374-3092.

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