Western Communities Foundation Annual Report Highlights Record-Breaking Year of Community Impact
Western Communities Foundation 2024 Giving Recap
HIGH RIVER, Alberta, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Western Communities Foundation (WCF), the charitable arm of Western Financial Group, has released its 2024 Annual Giving Report, showcasing a landmark year of giving, volunteerism, and community resilience across Canada.
In 2024, WCF donated $699,244 to over 160 organizations, supported 37 community infrastructure projects and three Indigenous grants, and raised $311,883 through employee-led fundraising efforts. These milestones reflect Western's enduring commitment to creating safe, inclusive spaces where Canadians and our wider communities can thrive.
'In tough times, one message was clear: when care drives our actions and purpose leads the way, there is no limit to the positive changes we can make,' said Grant Ostir, Western Financial Group CEO and WCF President.
Highlights from the report include:
#100kForGivingTuesday: In partnership with CanadaHelps, WCF granted $100,000 to ten Canadian charities nominated by the public, amplifying grassroots efforts in health, education, environment, and mental wellness.
National Walk: the 2024 Walk saw 87% employee participation and donated $100,200 for over 100 local charities.
Disaster Relief: WCF donated $20,000 to support wildfire recovery in Jasper, Alberta, alongside free crisis counselling for evacuees.
Indigenous Support: Over $23,000 was invested in Indigenous-led projects and student bursaries, advancing reconciliation and youth empowerment.
WCF extends its deepest thanks to all 2024 sponsors and donors, including: Wawanesa , Optiom Inc., SGI Canada, Intact Insurance, Definity, Greenshield, Peace Hills Insurance, BMS, Portage Mutual Insurance, Applied Systems, Aviva Canada, Northbridge Insurance, Red Planet Software, among many others.
'As we look ahead, we carry forward the momentum of the past year, guided by our unwavering commitment as Canada's insurance broker to helping our customers and communities manage risks and ensure the protection of what is important to them,' said Nancy Green-Bolton, Western Financial Group's COO and WCF Board Chair.
To learn more about the WCF, visit westerngives.ca; to read the full report, visit: https://westernfinancialgroup.ca/images/2024-WCF-AnnualReport.pdf
Western Financial Group Communities FoundationFounded in 2001, the Western Financial Group Communities Foundation serves to give back to the communities where Western employees live and work and play, and foster employee pride and engagement. The Foundation's core donation programs include community Infrastructure Grants, the Western Inspirational Awards for graduating high school students, and the Matching Grants Program. Since its inception, the Western Communities Foundation has granted more than $9 million to support local communities. Visit westerngives.ca for more information.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8ded861a-a790-45bd-9911-fce87d5df183
CONTACT: For more information: Nichola Petts, Manager - Media and Public Relations Nichola.Petts@westernfg.caSign in to access your portfolio
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Skipping the U.S. and taking a vacation to East Coast this year? It will cost you.
FREDERICTON — In September 2024, Natasha Beitman Brener and her husband decided to take a three-week vacation to Canada's East Coast. Beitman Brener, a lawyer in Kingston, Ont., spent about six months planning the trip, looking at various options to stay in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. "We are young, we don't have all the money in the world, we have a mortgage. So we went on this trip and we thought, 'oh, this will be affordable compared to something like Japan' . … We were going to cook our own food," she said in a recent interview. They rented a recreational vehicle in Montreal for about $6,000, and between campground parking fees, gasoline, groceries, park passes, a round of golf, and a couple of dinners out, Beitman Brener said the total added up to $15,000. "It was the most incredible trip. We loved it. It was worth it. It was incredible. The East Coast is so extraordinary," she said. "But it was $15,000 and we talked to our friend — they went to Japan for three weeks for the same price, with flights. And I said to my husband, 'well, we could have gone to Japan for the same price.'" This year, as a trade war grinds on with the United States, Canadians who decide to vacation within their country are realizing their patriotism comes with a hefty price tag — and some are choosing to scale back their plans. For Alick Tsui, a St. John's, N.L., resident, a recent five-day, two-person trip to Port Rexton, N.L., cost him about $3,000. He is avoiding spending his dollars in the United States because of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and comments of annexing Canada. But high prices are forcing him to cut costs for future trips in Canada. "Before I would stay for four nights, now I may cut it down to three nights. But that won't change my plan to travel." Tsui said he and his wife try to save money with "economical" lunches from gas stations. "But nighttime, we try to find whatever we can to have a good meal. Not expensive, but a good meal," he said. The couple went to Vietnam and Thailand earlier this year for about 10 days; that trip cost about one-third the price that he usually pays for a week's vacation in Canada. Beitman Brener, meanwhile, says she wanted to take a mother-daughter vacation this month after the lawyer had some unexpected time off. The duo sought to travel within Canada on a budget of $3,000 for four nights and five days. They too are avoiding travelling to the United States. She looked into several locations, including Quebec City and Manitoulin Island in Ontario, but — even with sharing a hotel or Airbnb room — their accommodation costs would have been about $3,000. Along with food and gas, the total would have been about $6,000, she said. They couldn't justify the cost so they chose to spend two nights at a boutique hotel in their hometown. The fact each vacation has to be planned down to every meal because of high costs has removed some of the joy of taking a spontaneous holiday in Canada, she said. A scan of individual round trip flights from Toronto to cities on the East Coast for the week of Aug. 18 -23 showed prices to Halifax ranging from around $700 for Flair Airlines to nearly $1,700 for WestJet; about $1,200 via Air Canada to $2,500 via Air Transat to St. John's; and between $1,500 and $3,000 on Air Canada to Charlottetown. A vehicle rental for five days the week of Aug. 18 -23 in Halifax, St. John's, and Charlottetown ranged from an average of $1,500 for an SUV to $1,000 for a sedan. For the week, hotel rooms in Halifax, St. John's and Prince Edward Island ranged from around $200 a night to $500. Richard Powers, associate professor at University of Toronto's Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, said two main reasons can help explain why travel within Canada is so expensive — lack of competition among airline services and fallout from COVID-19. Airlines haven't reinstated some of routes they cut down at the height of the pandemic, he said. How long the fallout from COVID-19 will last is anybody's guess, Powers said. "That's the million-dollar question." When it comes to accommodation, he said the high prices can be blamed on minimal supply. "I'm just booking Vancouver for the fall, and I'm having trouble finding a place for under $500 a night," he said. "That's a lot." Restaurant bills in Canada add up — when compared with those in Europe — because of the tipping culture that adds 15 to 20 per cent for each meal, he said. With the push to support Canadian tourism, Powers said, people are willing to pay "a bit of a premium." "How much premium is the question? And it's almost getting out of control." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2025. Hina Alam, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. (LTH): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. on Consume Your Own Tech Investing's Substack by Benjamin Tan. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on LTH. Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. 's share was trading at $27.98 as of August 13th. LTH's trailing and forward P/E were 27.43 and 21.69, respectively according to Yahoo Finance. Syda Productions/ Life Time Group Holdings (LTH) operates 184 centers across the U.S. and Canada, positioning itself as a premium wellness destination that blends fitness, lifestyle, and community. With offerings spanning gyms, spas, childcare, cafés, and fast-growing amenities like pickleball, Life Time attracts a diverse member base—families, professionals, retirees—driving record-high visits and retention. This inclusivity underpins its pricing power and member stickiness, allowing the company to focus on raising prices and expanding ancillary revenue rather than chasing volume. Management targets 10–12 new openings annually, favoring measured growth in affluent urban and suburban markets, including mall and residential integrations. Financial performance is improving meaningfully: Q2 2025 revenue grew 14% to $762 million, net income rose 37%, and free cash flow remained positive for the fifth consecutive quarter. Adjusted EBITDA reached $211 million, surpassing Planet Fitness despite far fewer members, reflecting Life Time's high-value, asset-intensive model. Strategic sale-leaseback deals, including $150 million in June and $100 million more planned in H2, are converting real estate into capital while reducing net debt leverage from 3.0x to 1.8x. Risks include reliance on affluent members, high operating leverage, and still-nascent digital and branded product initiatives, but guidance calls for 2025 revenue growth of ~14% to $3.0 billion, EBITDA growth of 20%, and net income growth over 86%. At ~$27 per share, Life Time trades at ~12x forward EBITDA versus ~20x for Planet Fitness, suggesting valuation upside. With disciplined execution, sustained margin expansion, and a long runway in untapped markets, LTH could more than double in value over the next two to three years, offering attractive asymmetric risk/reward. Previously, we covered a bullish thesis on Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp. (MODG) by Strategic Alpha in September 2024, highlighting undervaluation, venue growth, and value unlock via segment separation. The stock has depreciated approximately 9.53% since then due to delayed restructuring benefits. The thesis still stands as separation could drive rerating. Benjamin Tan shares a similar view but focuses on premium positioning and margin expansion in Life Time Group Holdings. Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 38 hedge fund portfolios held LTH at the end of the first quarter which was 36 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of LTH as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Specsavers store is raising money to help the vital work of Sue Ryder
A SPECSAVERS in the Bradford district is raising money through activities including sponsored cycling, leg waxing, and hair dyeing. The Bingley store is supporting Sue Ryder through its efforts, with optometry director Raj Gill set to dye his hair blue on August 30. Mr Gill said: "We're incredibly proud of our fundraising achievements over the years – especially raising over £1,000 for our local neonatal ward last year, in collaboration with our sister stores in Keighley and Shipley. "We're determined to keep up the momentum by taking part in several challenges this summer, including dyeing my hair blue for Sue. "We're hoping to encourage as many people as possible to donate what they can, no matter how big or small." Retail director Dom Doran will take part in a sponsored leg wax, and the team has vowed to collectively cycle 100km. Donation buckets and QR codes are available in store throughout August.