One of the smaller Kal Tire stores in Canada has won a big award.
Hope’s Kal Tire, run by manager Cathy Harry and licensed technician Ian Harry, is receiving the True Service Award from Kal Tire Canada, which normally recognizes one individual going above-and-beyond. The Harrys are worthy dual recipients after all they did to help people during a crazy 2021.
“We were just trying to help people as much as possible and support them as much as we can,” Cathy said. “Our philosophy is to give consistently good, up-front and honest service and look after our customers.
“We’re just looking to make someone’s bad day a better day.”
Each year, Cathy and Harry help raise money for the Hope Food Bank, teaming up with Kellton Contracting.
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“We do our Stuff-the-Cruiser event with the RCMP the first Saturday of December, and we go to Kal Tire and their ‘matching gifts program’ to match whatever we make that day,” Cathy said. “Meanwhile, they (Kellton Contracting) do their party the first Friday with an open bar. With that open bar, they say donations go to the food bank. Together we raised close to $6,000 and after Kal Tire matches everything we’re close to $12,000.”
November’s atmospheric rivers, flooding and landslides provided another opportunity to shine.
When CP Rail engines got stuck in North Bend because of landslides, and no trucks could get in with diesel fuel, Cathy and Harry had their Calcium pump and a couple hoses from Hope’s NAPA Auto Parts airlifted in by helicopter to save the day.
“If their engines run out, it takes a lot to get them going again, so we did that for them to keep them going,” Cathy explained, adding that during the flooding they also welcomed three stranded travellers into their home and helped countless others whose vehicles had broken down.
“Every day there were people with flat tires and stuff,” Cathy said. “There was one guy who slept in his car in our parking lot, used our washroom and was able to plug in to our power and internet to continue operating his business while he was stuck in Hope.”
Cathy and Ian used to run a Kal Tire in Boston Bar, so when Lytton was burned to the ground by a wildfire, they saw a lot of familiar faces coming in for help.
Lately it’s been a steady stream of pothole casualties, at least two or three day.
The True Service Award comes with a three-nights trip to Las Vegas.
“We’ve been in this business since 1989, so for Kal Tire to recognize us as a store that goes above and beyond, that’s really nice,” Cathy said.