Canada’s independent grocer association names
Drumheller’s Brittany Lee Ashmore, winner of their National
Scholarship
TORONTO: October 29, 2003 . . . A chance discussion at a local
grocery store has proved to be a fortunate circumstance for
Drumheller Composite High School grad, Brittany Lee Ashmore.
Earlier this year, when Doug Lovsin of Freson Market IGA,
learned of the student’s ambitions to study pharmacy
at the University of Alberta, he was delighted to sponsor
her application for the National Scholarship Awards program,
presented annually by the Canadian Federation of Independent
Grocers (CFIG) and sponsoring national brand grocery manufacturers.
Fast forward to Tuesday, October 28th, when, as the National
Scholarship winner, the honours graduate was flown to Toronto
to receive her $7,500 award in person. The Anthony G. Wilshaw
Memorial Trophy and cash award was presented to Brittany Lee
Ashmore at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre before a crowd
of 1,000 grocery industry personnel gathered at the Grocery
Innovations Canada convention and exposition.
All entrants in the National Scholarship competition are sponsored
by a CFIG member store. This year’s entrants were required
to submit a summary of their academic careers and activities,
and prepare a statement about career opportunities within
the grocery/food industry. Brittany’s exemplary academic
and extracurricular background, combined with her award-winning
statement earned the D.C.H.S. grad the largest scholarship
ever presented by the association and its sponsors.
Brittany’s winning submission outlined her ambition
to become a pharmacist at an independent grocery store. Her
statement recognized the importance of the pharmacy within
the grocery store environment as a means of one-stop shopping
for the sick and elderly, and she acknowledged the appeal
of working in the community-minded environment fostered by
independent grocers.
Throughout her high school career, Brittany maintained a 90%
average while being involved in many extracurricular activities.
Like the independent grocers she wrote about, Brittany was
actively involved in her own community. All through her high
school career, she volunteered for many school and community
fundraising causes, helped seniors and mentored fellow students.
She sat on the D.C.H.S. Student Council, co-captained her
high school basketball team, volunteered at the local ski
club, founded a successful student run business, took part
in choir and drama club activities, and found time to work
part time.
Ms. Ashmore has also been the recipient of the 2003 University
of Alberta Academic Excellence Scholarship, the 2003 Calgary
Herald Class Act Graduate of D.C.H. S. and in 2002 was recognized
with the Town of Drumheller’s Leaders of Tomorrow Award.
“The grocery industry is looking for bright, industrious
and well-rounded employees. Brittany’s academic and
volunteer record, combined with her statement embodies the
type of individual our industry seeks to attract,” said
Raffaella Bandiera, Manager, CFIG Member Services.
There are eleven cash awards in the 2003 CFIG Scholarship
Program. Earlier this year, a first place scholarship of $3,000
and a second place scholarship of $1,500 were awarded to winners
in each of five regions: Atlantic Canada, Ontario/Québec,
Manitoba/Saskatchewan, Albert/Northwest Territories/Nunavut
and British Columbia/Yukon. The other two CFIG Scholarship
Award winners from Alberta were Thomas Watson Hamilton of
Ponoka who earned first place for the region and Lisa May
Billesberger of Sherwood Park who placed second. Their awards
were presented in August at their sponsoring stores.
The Canadian Federation of Independent
Grocers is a non-profit trade association founded with the
purpose of furthering the unique interest of Canada’s
independently owned and franchised supermarkets. For more
information about CFIG visit www.cfig.ca. For further CFIG
Scholarship Program information contact Raffaella Bandiera,
Manager, CFIG Member Services at 416-492-2311 or e-mail: raffaella@cfig.ca.
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