In honor of World AIDS day Dec. 1, 2007, the Park Lighting store in Edmonton, Alberta, made the world a little brighter for those suffering from the deadly disease.
“We have been richly blessed as a business and feel a responsibility to give back to the community,” explained Victor Johannesen. The Johannesens, members of West End Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta, donated all the day’s sales to the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s Embrace AIDS campaign. The campaign aims to raise $3 million to improve and expand HIV/AIDS relief programs worldwide.
Victor and Betty Johannesen and the staff of Park Lighting wore CRWRC Embrace AIDS T-shirts, displayed posters, and distributed pamphlets about the campaign to customers.
Four Saturdays this past fall the Johannesens dedicated profits to a cause, two local and two international.
“We live in a province that is booming. We chose to give in this way because we feel it’s important to give to local ministries that support the needy and to give internationally because our responsibility goes beyond our own borders,” explained Victor.
Park Lighting had their best sales of the year, raising almost $40,000 for the Embrace AIDS campaign. “This was a way for us to challenge other businesses to change their mind-set about their fiscal responsibility, the needy around them, and to show their stewardship. Responsibility comes with the blessings we receive,” said Victor.
