Community Involvement

Peoples Drug Mart Stars of Hope

Stars of Hope is a campaign to raise awareness and funds for the ALS Society of BC. ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a paralyzing, life-ending condition with a prognosis of 2 - 5 years of life. ALS attacks and kills the motor neurons in the body, denying you the ability to move, to speak and finally to breathe. It has no known cause, no effective treatment or cure yet. The ALS Society of BC provides equipment and support services for people living with ALS in BC and Yukon, and funds breakthrough research towards treatments and a cure. 

Buy a Star Of Hope at any Peoples locations for $2 and a star with your name will be displayed to show your support. Buy a star for $5 and receive a free "Don't Quit" ALS wristband or buy a star for $10 and receive a free kitchen towel 3 pack. Be a star and help us provide more hope for people suffering from ALS.

ALS Society of BC in the News

Peoples Drug Mart BC & Yukon Walks for ALS

Peoples Drug Mart is the presenting sponsor of the annual B.C. & Yukon Walks for ALS. Peoples Drug Mart BC & Yukon Walks for ALS is a fun, family friendly event that occurs across British Columbia in 16 communities and is organized by local volunteers.Walks for ALS are about taking to the streets, pathways, sidewalks and parks across B.C. to raise money for breakthrough ALS research and services to support those living with ALS and their families. Peoples Drug Mart is proud to have raised over $375,000 for the ALS Society of BC. For the 2013 walk locations in your community, please click here (83 KB pdf).

ALS Society of BC in the News

Read Frank Novakowski's inspiring story on dealing with ALS. Click here.

Peoples Drug Mart received exceptional public awareness award

Peoples Drug Mart received the ALS Society of Canada’s Exceptional Public Awareness Award, which recognizes their efforts to raise awareness of ALS, on May 1, 2010 in Toronto.

Michael Gardner, Chairman of the Board for the ALS Society of Canada and Wendy Toyer, Executive Director of The ALS Society of BC present The ALS Society of Canada’s Exceptional Public Awareness Award to Ed Sue, Marketing & Advertising Manager, receiving on behalf of Peoples Drug Mart.

The Exceptional Public Awareness Award recognizes an individual, a group or the media whose aim is to educate and increase awareness of ALS. Activities in the category may include liaisons with the media, coordinating public awareness displays and public speaking.

ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease that causes the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As the nerve cells die, people with ALS lose control of their muscles, which makes breathing, eating and even smiling almost impossible. Eighty per cent of those diagnosed will die within two to five years.

For the past six years, People’s Drug Mart has been a provincial partner with the ALS Society of BC and it was an incredible honour for the owner operators of Peoples Drug Mart to be presented this award.
 
The 50 Peoples Drug Marts and Peoples Pharmacies located throughout BC support The ALS Society by creating awareness in the People First health magazine and by participating in fundraising events. Every April, $1 for every bottle of Jamieson, Webber Natural and Biomedic vitamins sold is donated to ALS. In June, stores sell "Stars of Hope" for ALS, covering their walls with a sea of bright yellow stars

“This exceptional support would not be possible without the support of all the Peoples Drug Marts, Peoples Pharmacies, their entire Board, their CEO Ian Maxwell, and their marketing team led by Ed Sue. They have so far raised more than $250,000 for ALS; raising $60,000 last year, alone,” says Menno Froese, volunteer and former president, ALS Society of British Columbia & Yukon.

The ALS Society of Canada, founded in 1977, is the only national voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS and support for those living with ALS. The Society funds research towards a cure for ALS, supports our provincial partners in the provision of quality care for those living with ALS, and provides information to build awareness about the disease.

With the success of the stars of hope campaign and other fundraiser's such as the ALS vitamin sale, the Peoples Board of Directors was extremely pleased to be able to present a $60,000.00 cheque to the ALS Society of BC in 2009

Locally owned and operated, Peoples Drug Mart and Peoples Pharmacy take an active role in BC and Alberta communities, either directly with local charities, or with province wide organizations, like the ALS Society of B.C.

Peoples Drug Mart hosts an annual Golf Tournament that has raised over $461,500.00 and runs several ALS fundraisers.

The following are some of the organizations that Peoples Drug Mart has supported.