Ashton Service Group issues Christmas fund challenge
A Richmond plumbing services firm is stepping up in support of the Richmond Christmas Fund and is challenging other local businesses to follow suit.
Ashton Service Group has donated $5,000 to the fund, which helps more than 2,000 low-income local families by supplying Christmas gifts and grocery vouchers at this time of year.
"Community involvement has always been an important part of my personal philosophy," said Ashton president Brian Williams. "My wife and I are from Richmond and we have made a choice to make a difference here...Times are still tough for many people...This money will go a long way in buying food for families. We are challenging other companies to make a contribution of $500 to help families in need."
For local businesses that can't manage $500, Williams urged them to help in any way they can, perhaps by sponsoring one family and then personally delivering the gift basket.
Richmond Chamber of Commerce's Craig Jones said this is the first year the chamber has issued such a challenge to the business community.
The challenge was issued late last month, and the chamber is hopeful local businesses will show they care and want to give back.
"I think it's really just an awareness we're trying to raise in the business community," Jones said. "We want to say there's a need and tell Richmond businesses that there's a way to contribute."
From simply writing a cheque to the Christmas fund, to getting an organization's staff involved with supporting a single family, there's many ways to get involved, he said.
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