The Executive Director for Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba accepted a donation Friday from the owner of Canadian Gold Beverages in Marchand.

Last month, the Marchand company announced that for the months of October, November and December, two cents from the sale of every bottle of Pic A Pop sold in Western Canada would be donated to MCC. On Friday, owner Peter de Jong handed just over $200 to Ron Janzen with MCC. That donation was for sales during the first week of this campaign.

"We're so pleased about this," says Janzen.

The money is intended to be used towards helping with relief work in Syria. The Pic A Pop owner says this is a good cause because we are in this world to help each other and create peace.

"This is going to be a part of our humanitarian relief efforts in Syria and in surrounding countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq," says Janzen. "We have twenty-seven projects there supporting thousands of families, providing them with shelter, basic food items, clothing, rent assistance, that sort of thing."

Janzen says the tragic circumstances in Syria have been going on for more than four years. He notes MCC has been waiting for a moment when public opinion and compassions would be stirred and galvanized on a broad basis. Janzen says the recent sad story of the body of young Alan Kurdi washing up on the Greek shore has evoked peoples' passions.

"Seeing the business community step up like this," says Janzen. "We hope this will really inspire others to do the same."

Janzen encourages people of faith to pray for MCC and its service workers. He adds cash donations and relief aid are welcome. Janzen notes MCC is also engaged in refugee resettlement and sponsorship.

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Pic A Pop Fundraising For Syrian Refugees