RUSTED OUT
The valley around Tappen, B.C. is about to get a little less rusty now that Mike Hall announced that he auctioned off most of his 550-strong car collection in October. As one half of the History Channel’s “Rust Valley Restorers”, Hall has spent decades building his impression collection of vintage vehicles in southern B.C., but with thoughts of retirement on the horizon, Hall said he was looking forward to shedding the load of caring for 550 cars. Hall says it was a letter from the government, telling him that he had reached retirement age, that put things in perspective for him. Hall couldn’t confirm whether this means the definite end of his TV show but responded with the statement, “I’m not getting any younger.”
THE SMOKE CLEARS
The Insurance Bureau of Canada has reported that the June 30 wildfires in Lytton, British Columbia are estimated to have caused $78 million in insured damage. In addition, a press release from IBC said that a majority of the roughly 300 claims issued are related to residential property damage. “This wildfire has devastated the community. Canada’s insurers are here to help the residents of Lytton recover, and are committed to help rebuild from this loss,” said Aaron Sutherland, western and Pacific v-p of IBC. IBC sees events like this as opportunities to galvanize support for nationwide climate initiatives that aim to track and address the increasing climate risks that face environmentally vulnerable communities across Canada.
CRAFTING COMMUNITY
A collision centre is nothing without the community it serves, Craftsman Collision knows this and that is why the MSO has been hard at work helping to raise more than $31,000 for wildfire relief in British Columbia. Craftsman launched a two-week matching fundraising campaign with the Canadian Red Cross in mid-August and managed to raise an impressive $15,833, with Color Compass and BASF kicking off the initiative with a $10,000 donation. “As a proud Canadian brand, Craftsman has been committed to supporting our local communities for more than four decades,” said Craftsman Collision president Rick Hatswell. “In these unprecedented times, we are continuing to give back in the best way we can, while encouraging others to do the same. We were thrilled with the results of our matching campaign which raised a total of $31,266 for the Red Cross who have worked so tirelessly supporting British Columbians affected by the devastating wildfires this summer. Thank you to all our staff at our Craftsman Collision locations in Kamloops, Kelowna and Vernon for helping make this fundraiser such a success.”
