Businesses turn down the heat for energy and charity

BUSINESS — Local businesses will turn down the heat next week to help promote energy conservation.

Kamloops Central Business Improvement Associations is part of “Turn Down the Heat Week Feb. 1 to 7, sponsored by FortisBC and the Business Improvement Areas of B.C. (BIABC).

Participating businesses in more than 20 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) will turn down the heat at work and at home and wear sweaters to help promote energy conservation. Local businesses will also collect sweaters and other warm clothing items to be donated to charity.

For the last two years the campaign collected more than 10,000 sweaters to donate to local charities.

“Turn Down the Heat Week is a simple, grassroots campaign. The response from small businesses and local charities has been so positive – we can’t wait to get started,” said BIABC president Maureen Healey.

Some businesses will offer sales on sweaters or on hot drinks, some will hand out flyers about energy efficiency and some will collect warm clothes for charities.

Some of the Kamloops businesses taking part include Academy of Learning, Big Boot Inn, Buzz’z Autobody, Cloverdale Paint, Community Futures, Dominion Lending, Goddyn & Associations, Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, Maurya’s Fine Indian Cuisine, Manhandler Barbershop, Oops Cafe, Scotiabank, Swiss Pastries and Chocolates, the Art We Are and The Bench Jewelry.