Cameron Beach, the owner-operator of Charlottetown’s Canadian Tire, proudly poses with the sign that prompted his donation to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
When Associate Dealer Cam Beach arrived at his Charlottetown Canadian Tire one recent morning, he was happily surprised to see that someone had gifted his team with a homemade wooden sign bearing the store’s name. With no card or letter accompanying the sign, Cam took to Facebook to see if the community could lend him a hand in thanking the mystery artist. It wasn’t long before a pay-it-forward style of magic that Prince Edward Islanders are known for started to take place.
Several other businesses responded to Cam’s Facebook post, proudly showing the signs they, too, had anonymously received over the years. The social media attention quickly grew, resulting in the secret sign-maker revealing herself: a young local woman named Lauren MacNeill.
“I was so impressed that she had done this, not just for us but for so many other businesses,” Cam told the CBC. “We decided this random act of kindness had to be rewarded!”
Touched by Lauren’s generosity, Cam and his Canadian Tire store asked if they could make a $5000 donation in her name to a charity of her choice. Lauren selected the PEI Cancer Treatment Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, mentioning that her family has had personal experiences with the healthcare provider.
“Something as simple as a piece of wood and a little bit of time resulted in that donation – that’s how it’s done here!” exclaimed Cam.