Cochrane has a lot of hallmarks it is famous for.
From picturesque vistas and that small town feel to an array of amenities to world famous ice cream, there are many reasons to visit and even more to stay.
Another trait our town and the surrounding community has in spades is generosity.
Campaigns collecting money, clothes, food or other donations traditionally do quite well. It never ceases to amaze that nearly every new campaign in the community is successful, despite the number of competing initiatives or economic conditions.
Whether it’s individuals digging into their wallets or local businesses and organizations hosting events, holding fundraisers or simply giving away some of their hard earned profits, people in need receive a lot of support in Cochrane.
Just recently, Big Hill Lodge was the recipient of some amazing generosity bequeathed to it by the estate of one of the facility’s longtime fans.
Jean Grant, a life-long Cochranite who held Big Hill Lodge in high esteem, left $777,000 to the facility in her will. The money will go a long way toward helping the lodge expand and provide improved services to the seniors who live there.
Grant’s donation is pretty large considering it comes from a single individual, but she is not the only person in the area whose personal financial success has benefited others.
Nipper Guest, for example, set up the Bearspaw Benevolent Foundation in 1992 and over the years has built up the charitable organization to be able to donate millions to everything from the Boys and Girls Club and Camp Horizon to literacy programs and outstanding Cochrane students pursuing degrees.
Large donators are not the only ones lending a hand. Thousands of Cochranites help in many ways. Whether that is donating a few extra bucks or giving the gift of time, there is no shortage of generosity. A short scan of social media every day will offer stories of good Samaritans paying it forward by simply buying coffee for the people behind them in the drive-thru.
Then, businesses such as Two Pharmacy whose operating model is designed to generate charitable donations for the community or stores such as the Heavenly Outhouse that hold special events like the Outhouse Races are also incredible sources of help.
Top it all off with organizations such as the Activettes, Helping Hands, Lions, Rotary Club, Bow RiversEdge Campground Society and the Lindsay Leigh Kimmett Memorial Foundation – just to name a few – and the amount of money and gifts in kind that flow through Cochrane is astounding.
We are lucky to live in such a helpful and generous community and should be proud of the people in this community who do so much to make the lives of those in need just a little bit better.
