Niagara Duty Free Shops Inc. – Paying it Forward…
 This past Spring 2009, Pernod Ricard Americas Travel Retail ran an incentive contest over the course of April 2009 between the Ontario Duty Free locations for the top three stores who had the highest increase in combined bottle sales of specific Pernod Ricard liquor brands. The store prize winners won cash prizes to be used for the staff as per the discretion of the store i.e. prize money could have been used for a staff luncheon, staff barbeque, etc.
Niagara Duty Free won the 3rd prize in this contest – winning a total of $1000.00 (Peace Bridge #1, and Windsor #2). Steve Richardson, GM of Niagara Duty Free asked the staff to vote on how the $1000.00 should be spent, and many terrific ideas were submitted to Steve, such as pizza days, gift certificates, money towards Christmas Party, plasma tv for the lunch room, etc.
 Amongst all of the many wonderful suggestions that Steve Richardson received from the staff, there was one idea that was the clear winner and was unanimously voted upon by the staff. The $1000.00 that Niagara Duty Free Shop won was donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s Run for the Cure in Lori Watson’s name. Lori Watson of Pernod Ricard Americas Travel Retail has been a long time and dedicated member of the FDFA and the duty free industry. She has fought breast cancer twice, and is a true survivor. As a testament to her battle against cancer and in recognition of her amazing relationship with Niagara Duty Free Shop, the decision by the Niagara staff to donate the monies they won to Lori’s charity was clear and without question.
In early June 2009, the Niagara Duty Free Shop presented Lori Watson (in a surprise announcement) with a cheque for $1000.00 in her name. Through Niagara Duty Free Shop’s investigation into which breast cancer charity that Lori Watson was the most affiliated with they learned of an organization which has been a pillar of support for Lori throughout her battle – Wellspring Niagara. As such, Niagara Duty Free Shop matched the staff’s generous donation and donated to Wellspring Niagara, $1000.00. In total, $2000.00 was donated to two very deserving causes. Both Lori and Ann Martini of Wellspring Niagara were presented with their respective donations in early June 2009 at the Niagara Duty Free Shop.
Steve Richardson notes “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the staff for first coming up with this idea and then making such an overwhelming choice”.
For more information on these breast cancer charity initiatives/organizations noted above, please refer to the following links:
Lori Watson’s CIBC Run for the Cure Web Link: https://www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/en/about.asp
When on CIBC site, please following these directions:
Choose - Donate
Choose - Donate to a Participant
Enter - Lori Watson
Enter - Niagara Region
For information on Wellspring Niagara or to make a donation to Wellspring Niagara click here
On behalf of the FDFA, this is a true example of some of the incredible working relationships our supplier members have with the operator members. The FDFA will be donating $100 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's Run For the Cure in Lori Watson's name. |