Cameron Thun was out of ideas, wondering what to give for his wife Tammy on her birthday.
The successful Prince George businessman, who owns several liquor stores and a cannabis retail outlet, didn’t have to think too hard or too long to come up with a gift idea.
“What do you give a woman that has everything? You make a donation to a good cause,” he said.
That worthy charity is the Child Development Centre of Prince George and District, and on June 22 at his backyard birthday party, Thun handed over a cheque for $5,000 to executive director Darrell Roze.
Thun and his family have a longstanding tradition of giving to the CDC, which started when he was young and his parents, Al and Pauline Thun, the proprietors of the National Hotel and First Litre Pub, became regular donors.
“Mom and Dad did it for years and we carried it on, and my daughter went there for a little while,” said Cameron. “They help a ton of people, so it’s a good cause to get behind.”
Located at 1687 Strathcona Ave., the Child Development Centre annually helps more than 1,000 kids (roughly one on six of the region’s pre-school children) improve their social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and communication skills.
The CDC and its staff of 55 offer services and programs geared toward children with special needs or developmental delays and also provides daycare programs open to kids of all abilities.
“Our purpose for being here is helping children with developmental challenges” said Roze. “That could be children with special needs or just children that haven’t had appropriate developmental opportunities so they’re bit delayed. We help children get prepared to be more successful in the school system and beyond.”
The organization has been in operation since 1968. It serves Prince George, Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount and it loans mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
“In some things we’re improving their quality of life and sometimes we’re improving their ability to be educated and to be productive citizens later on, just removing challenges in their life that are unnecessary if they get the right supports," Roze said.
The CDC’s services are contracted by the Ministry of Children and Family Development and as a registered charity it has the ability to fundraise and accept private donations.
Since they bought the hotel in 1972 the Thun family has donated $918,000 to charitable causes in the city.
“Cam has been fantastic, every year he comes up with a donation for us,” said Roze. “Tammy genuinely seemed excited that was her present. That’s a very giving couple.”
