ARCOLA - A big black and gold hydrovac truck with Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation logo can be now spotted working in the southeast.
Hoffman Elite Enterprises Ltd., a Saskatchewan hydrovac company with its head office in Saskatoon, partnered with the children's hospital in 2019 to raise awareness and funds for the cancer ward. They recently expanded into the southeast, opening an office in Arcola, and decided to continue with their fundraising initiative in this area.
Courtney Hoffman, who co-owns Hoffman Elite Enterprises Ltd. alongside her husband Kyle, talked to the Mercury about their efforts.
She said Kyle has been in the industry for almost 20 years, and the company was involved with many different fundraisers before. Three years ago, the family came up with another way to give back to the province and communities they serve and make a difference.
"We just thought, what better way to raise awareness for something than to have a big billboard that drives around and right on the side it says Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation," Courtney recalled. "Back then the hospital in Saskatoon was just about finished being built. So we had approached the foundation and explained our idea."
Off the start, the Hoffmans wanted to do something for those whose children were affected by cancer, because there were a lot of families around them that have faced the scary disease. Some had to battle it and won, but others lost. While they have been "lucky enough that both of their kids have never had any type of serious illness," Courtney said, they wanted to do something to make a difference for others.
"We just felt it was a good cause to go towards. We want to raise as much awareness and donate as much as we can," Courtney said.
As the colour gold represents childhood cancer awareness, they've decided to colour their first truck gold and black, and second black and gold, dedicating those two units to the cause. The first truck was serving Saskatoon and area, while the second was introduced in southeast Saskatchewan this summer.
"We opened a new branch in Arcola as we were growing. And we needed units for down there … And we decided that why not do another gold truck. That one is black and gold instead of gold and black. But it's the same idea and a portion of the revenue off that truck gets donated every year to the hospital," Courtney explained.
Each September, a percentage of all revenues generated by each of the two branded trucks from the previous year is donated to the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation. The funds are directed towards the pediatric cancer unit, helping children and families meet their health care needs.
The Arcola truck was finished only in July 2021, and by September, the two trucks generated over $6,000 to be donated for this year. According to their donation page at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation website, as of Dec. 11, Hoffman Elite Enterprises Ltd. has raised over $25,000.
Courtney said that outside their business' donations, they had other people they know donating to the cause as well. Two years ago, they also partnered with another company, which has committed to annual donations to the cause, and their logo was added to the trucks.
People can support the initiative by donating through Hoffman Elite Enterprises Ltd.'s fundraising page "Go Gold for Kids Cancer" at www.hoffmaneliteenterprisesltd.com/go-gold-for-kids-cancer.
