Fuelling our Athletes

PISE program

Thrifty Foods is committed to promoting sports and nutrition programs, as well as activities that encourage healthy and active lifestyles for those in our communities. For the last 11 years, Thrifty Foods has proudly sponsored over four hundred high-performing Olympic and Paralympic athletes through our relationship with the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE). The training centre on Vancouver Island prepares Victoria-area High Performance Athletes for world-class events including the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place this summer in London, England.

Our PISE beneficiaries have included Ryan Cochrane, Olympic swimmer; Dave Calder, three-time Olympic rower; Simon Whitfield, three-time Olympic triathlete; Erinne Willock, Olympic cyclist; and Seamus McGrath, a two-time Olympic mountain bike racer - as well as hundreds of other BC athletes.

Times Colonist 10K

Our Thrifty Foods volunteers help to feed over 13,000 participants registered for the TC10K. The event includes a 10km run and the Thrifty Foods Family Run, both of which are held in downtown Victoria.

BC Children's Hospital

Thrifty Foods supports ChildRun - contributing to the Thrifty Foods 1km Fun Run - and participates in the BC Children's Hospital Miracle Weekend.

In June 2011 over 6,000 runners joined the fight against childhood cancer raising $1 million for the BC Children's Hospital. As the third largest run in Vancouver, the 26th Annual ChildRun presented by the Wilson Family hosted runners and walkers of all ages and abilities on an exciting run through Queen Elizabeth Park or the Thrifty Foods 1 km Fun Run.

As part of the Children's Miracle Network, Thrifty Foods presented a cheque for $16,700. The money was raised by all 26 stores as part of the 21st Annual Jeans Day™. As a dedicated Jeans Day champion, Thrifty Foods joined over 3,000 other businesses and 800 schools to make this campaign a success. Donations from Jeans Day are placed in the Excellence in Child Health Fund which supports the Hospital's most urgent needs.

Thrifty Foods Youth Golf Clinics

Over 1,000 kids have participated in the Thrifty Foods Youth Golf Clinics at Uplands Golf Course as part of the TC Open Golf Tournament. The clinics are taught by members of the University of Victoria Vikes Varsity Golf Program. Proceeds from the registration are shared between the UVic Vikes Varsity Golf Program and the Thrifty Foods Athletic Award.

GoodLife Kids Run & Marathon

Each year, over 1,000 young runners take to the streets in October to participate in the Thrifty Foods Kids Run & Marathon. Thrifty Foods proudly supports the GoodLife Victoria Marathon, feeding thousands of runners who participate in the 8K, half and full marathon.

Thrifty Foods Family Bike Festival

Part of the Victoria International Cycling Festival, the Thrifty Foods Family Bike Festival is designed to increase cycling awareness in our community. Bicycle enthusiasts decorate or "bling"out their bikes and participate in a bike rodeo, obstacle course and tricycle races. Local cycling greats as well as unicycle extremist Bryan Corry performed feats of height and strength at the 2011 event, while kids painted their bikes and volunteers painted faces.

Thrifty Foods was also the official food sponsor of the Victoria International Cycling Festival and provides healthy and nutritional snacks to volunteers and riders alike over the three week event.

Delta Gymnastics

At the Tsawwassen Thrifty Foods location, customers threw in their $2 to support the construction of a new foam pit for the Delta Gymnastics Society. Between March 16th and April 13th, 2011, more than $3,800 was raised - helping give gymnastics a soft place to land!

Herb Bradley Coca-Cola Classic - Alpine Skiing

The Annual Herb Bradley Coca-Cola Classic fundraiser takes place each February at the Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Thrifty Foods provides food for the skiiers participating in the daylong event, which raises funds for the Vancouver Island Society for Adaptive Snowsports.