Nestlé Waters in Hope overflowed with community spirit last Saturday – with the company estimating that 1000 people attended their

community day and plant tours.

The company hosted the town, welcoming kids with a little environmental training from Kelly Pearce, of the Hope Centre for Outdoor Learning, an unlimited chance to summersault down the bouncy castle, and an ice cream treat or two.

Attending the event were a number of local dignitaries including Councillor Scott Medlock, Mayor Laurie French, Area B director Dennis Adamson and Patricia Ross, chair of the Fraser Valley Regional District, but it was the people who the company wanted to reach out to the most. No speeches, just fun.

“We were expecting 500 people,” says John Challinor, Director of Corporate Affairs for Nestlé Waters Canada, thrilled with the turnout.

“The community was obviously very interested in seeing our operation and we are very appreciative.”

According to Challinor, the tours of the plant, with bottle lines flying past, fascinated many of the visitors, amazed with the “automation.”

“Human beings don’t touch the product from the aquifer to packaging… it is part of the security of the product.”

“The goal of today was to demystify Nestlé Waters – Canada, to share with the community what we do and what their friends and family do at this plant,” added Challinor, last Saturday.

“Building understanding creates a level of confidence.”

“We are a good company for the community, and a good company to consider working for. We plan to be in the community a long time.”

Challinor also announced Nestlé’s plan to sponsor the Hope Mountain Centre, and the Fraser Cascade School District, for outdoor educational programming for primary school students The company will donate $15,000 to the program over three years, says Challinor, including – of course – all the water the students need to stay hydrated during those hot outings in the summer and a tent to protect them from the rain in a downpour.

“This is the kind of education that school boards across Canada should be supplying to their students,” says Challinor.

“We jumped at the opportunity to support them – we know the importance of environmental stewardship and we hope other school boards will look at the Hope Mountain Centre and offer similar programming.”