Pictured above: Left: Several community members enjoyed the delicious brisket at AC Lakeside’s Customer Appreciation Day. Right: AC Lakeside team presents the cheque to Fortress of the Bear for the funds raised at the BBQ – from left:  Jill Servida, AC Front End Manager; Michael Fernandez, AC Produce Manager; Claire Turner, Fortress of the Bear - Bear Manager & Specialist; Vince Winter, AC Store Manager, Sitka.

Residents of Sitka, AK enjoyed a fun-filled Customer Appreciation Day at AC Lakeside, enjoying contests and a delicious meal with all funds raised donated to Fortress of the Bear, a local bear sanctuary. 

For several years the AC Lakeside store in Sitka  has celebrated its anniversary with the community by hosting a BBQ where they also raise funds to support an organization within the community. Due to the pandemic, this celebration could not be held last year, but thanks to the easing of restrictions the 2021 Customer Appreciation Day and Fundraiser event was held on September 4, following COVID-19 protocols.

This year’s celebration was a huge success thanks to the partnership with Sitka Bottling and Northern Sales Sitka, who joined the celebration by donating products for the BBQ. Sitka’s newest small business, Swirls Soft, provided a sweet note by offering delicious ice cream to those who attended the event.

The festivities began the night before with the AC Lakeside BBQ squad smoking up briskets, which was the main dish, with hamburgers also offered as a second choice. Adults and kids had fun with the contests organized for that day such as bubblegum bubble blowing – where the bubble had to be held for at least two seconds. Kids 12 years and under had the chance to participate in a colouring contest and an Oreo stacking contest, where all winners received a prize. The Fortress of the Bear team was also present at the event, setting up a display area to sell merchandise from their organization.

Pictured above, from left: First place winner of the bubblegum bubble blowing contest. First place winner of the Oreo stacking contest, and the first place winner of the colouring contest.

At the end of the day, $1,853 was raised, with all proceeds donated to Fortress of the Bear, a bear sanctuary founded in 2007 that rescues orphaned bear cubs found in the community. They are currently taking care of seven Alaskan coastal brown bears and providing them a safe place and the care needed for the rest of their lives. 

“Fortress of the Bear does not receive any government funding and relies solely on support and donations from local businesses, visitors and merchandise sales,” said Vince Winter, AC Lakeside Store Manager. “We are happy to support and raise funds for them as their mission is to rescue cubs, bring them back to health and provide a long life full of enrichment. We have been involved with Fortress of the Bear with our Zero Waste Initiate since 2019, and we continue to grow our support of this wonderful, local nonprofit with fundraising and awareness events.”

“We’d like to say a HUGE thank you to AC Lakeside, Sitka Swirls and our supportive local community!” Fortress of the Bear wrote on the organization’s Facebook page. “We feel so grateful to receive such warm and generous support from local folks and businesses that love these bears as much as we do.”