$10K grant came at perfect time for Honkers owner

By Jensen, Randy on June 30, 2020.

LETHBRIDGE HERALD

Lethbridge business Honkers Pub & Eatery is one of 62 grant recipients of $10,000 each announced on Monday by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce from its Canadian Business Resilience Network Small Business Relief Fund.

“We are so thrilled and honoured to be a recipient of the grant from the Canadian Business Resilience Network Small Business Relief Fund,” says Vicky Vanden Hoek, owner/operator, Honkers Pub & Eatery, in a news release. “The $10,000 couldn’t have happened at a better time as we struggle to reopen from a four-day work week to now five and hopefully six as we once were. I wish all 1,100 applicants would have been able to receive the same as my heart goes out to all the businesses affected by COVID-19.”

“I am thrilled that Honkers Pub and Eatery, a longstanding, 23-year chamber member, was selected as a recipient of this grant,” says Cyndi Vos, executive officer, Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce. “This funding will undoubtedly provide them and all of the recipients with much needed support as they navigate the challenges of COVID-19.”

More than 1,100 small businesses across Canada applied for the 62 grants available. The lucky recipients were those that best demonstrated their financial strain, how the business will use the grant to change or innovate, how the change or innovation will sustain the business’s recovery and allow it to prosper, and how the grant will support the role each business plays in their community.

The fund was managed by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and made possible through the generosity of Salesforce. The funding was designed to help small businesses across the country stay afloat and support their recovery efforts, paying salaries, retrofitting their workplaces and acquiring technology to adapt their business model. Salesforce has also provided grants to small businesses in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, in addition to providing other resources.

“Reviewing the applications was both heartbreaking and inspiring, We saw how seriously small businesses across Canada have been hurt by the pandemic, but we also saw how determined these entrepreneurs are to preserve their employees’ jobs and to serve their customers and their communities. Today is a happy waypoint, not an end point, and we won’t stop finding new ways to help Canada’s businesses reopen and recover. We’ll be with them every step of the way,” said Perrin Beatty, president and CEO, Canadian Chamber.

“It has been incredible to see the resilience coming from Canada’s small business owners over the last few months. We know it hasn’t been easy,” said Margaret Stuart, Canada Country Manager, Salesforce. “The applicants have further demonstrated what we at Salesforce already knew to be true – that Canada is rich with innovation and entrepreneurial talent. We’re hopeful that these grants will provide essential support to small business owners as they return to work.”

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