The Sutherland Group takes pride in its charitable giving, supporting initiatives as diverse as the Canadian Cancer Society’s Plaid for Dad campaign and local food drives.

It now plans to build on that tradition with the new Love Drive philanthropic program.

The business headquartered in Salmo, B.C., is drawing each charitable campaign under the common umbrella that will be supported by every operating company – including Sutco Transportation, Sutco Group International, Summit Truck and Equipment Repair, KC Drilling and Blasting, B.C. Ecochips, Landmark Timber Services, and Brooklyn Barge and Tug Services.

“We raise funds together. We have a lot of community events together,” program chairwoman Melanie Sutherland explains. “From the very beginning when we started the business, we always wanted to support whatever is needed.”

Frontline employees will also have a say in the programs being supported, through a yet-established committee. Sutherland says the business plans to match employee charitable contributions made through a future payroll deduction program, too.

“Love Drive helps us to reorganize all our charitable activities under one umbrella and allows us to remain open to supporting new causes or unexpected events like pandemic, the [wild]fires, and other unforeseen disasters where funds are needed quickly,” she adds.

Mental health is expected to be an early focus for the program, given the stresses that have emerged during Covid-19.

While the fleet is already known to wrap equipment to support different campaigns such as Plaid for Dad and breast cancer awareness, it has also purchased a food trailer that will deliver the Love Drive brand and food to various fundraising events. The program’s signature heart-shaped logo is expected to appear on chip trailers as well.

“We just want to be of service,” Sutherland says.