The British Columbia Hockey League is excited to announce the launch a new initiative called Communities First, which stems from a partnership with First West Credit Union and its divisions – Valley First, Island Savings, Enderby & District Financial and Envision Financial.
Communities First was developed by the BCHL in partnership with First West to recognize youth leadership, while encouraging fans and players to participate in building stronger communities through volunteerism with local organizations.
“First West believes in developing strong, visionary leaders in our communities,” says Susan Byrom, senior manager of community investment at First West Credit Union. “Volunteering in local communities is a great way for young people to not only strengthen their community, but to gain valuable experience they cannot get elsewhere. We’re proud to create these opportunities alongside the BCHL.”
BCHL teams and players will also be encouraged to track their community hours and initiatives through a recently launched online platform called Volinspire, introduced in December and developed by a local Okanagan tech firm in partnership with First West Credit Union.
From programs engaging students in the schools to supporting BC Food Banks through the league’s Five Hole for Food program, First West will showcase the community involvement of the BCHL’s 17 teams in British Columbia and take an active and engaged role in supporting those efforts.
“As a league dedicated to developing student athletes and supporting our communities at every level, we wanted a partner that shared our vision for promoting volunteerism and encouraging community leadership,” says BCHL senior director of partnerships and marketing Adam Less. “We couldn’t have found a more committed partner than First West.”
The BCHL is hopeful the new First West partnership will continue to develop and help expand and strengthen the league’s volunteer efforts benefitting its communities throughout the league.
About First West Credit Union
First West Credit Union offers members the financial strength, comprehensive product selection and extended branch network of a large financial institution while maintaining local brand identities and a unique grassroots approach to service. Led by Launi Skinner, First West is British Columbia’s third-largest credit union with nearly $10 billion in assets, more than 240,000 members and more than 1,700 employees. It operates 54 branches throughout the province under the Envision Financial, Valley First, Enderby & District Financial and Island Savings divisions. Visit firstwestcu.ca for more information on First West Credit Union.
