Fernie Chamber launches #FernieToGo campaign, joins call for regional approach to restrictions

The new campaign aims to help food and beverage businesses

The Curry Bowl is one of the local participating restaurants. — Kerry Shellborn photo

The Fernie Chamber of Commerce (in partnership with some passionate members) has launched a new campaign to help food and beverage businesses that have been impacted by the latest round of provincial health orders announced on Monday. The #FernieToGo bingo game features a bingo card with Fernie  restaurants and bars offering take-out or delivery during these new restrictions on dining in.

To play, Fernie residents are asked to print out or screenshot the bingo card on the Fernie Chamber  Facebook page (and attached to this release). Order takeout from local Fernie and area restaurants and  check them off on the card. Once you get a full row or full column (no diagonals) submit an email to [email protected]. Include your name, phone number, and the restaurants you got takeout from.

The Fernie Chamber will be drawing three names from all the submissions, with the top prize being $500 in cash. You will have to present your receipts from those restaurants, and they must be dated between March 30 and April 19 (inclusive). The Fernie community is being asked to help promote the campaign by posting on social media with #FernieToGo. Every attempt was made to  include all Fernie businesses offering takeout, but there is also a “Free Choice” square for businesses  that may have been missed or if you want to visit your favourite twice. 

— Image courtesy the Fernie Chamber of Commerce

The Fernie Chamber is also joining other Chambers of Commerce across the Kootenays and the province in asking for a more regional approach to COVID-19 restrictions on businesses. In other jurisdictions outside of BC, areas that are not being severely impacted by the increase in COVID cases are not put under the same restrictions as areas that have been harder hit.

The pandemic in the Kootenays has been very different than the Lower Mainland, and the Fernie Chamber would like to see this regional approach adopted moving forward.

Brad Parsell (Executive Director of the Fernie Chamber) explains, “These latest restrictions on in-person  dining are another blow to our already struggling food and beverage industry in Fernie. Our restaurants  and bars have been hit hard by this announcement, and with very little notice given ahead of a busy long weekend. We stand united with other Chambers of Commerce and our business community in  asking provincial leaders to reconsider the impacts of a blanket health order like this one with no lead time. We are also calling on additional supports for businesses impacted by these restrictions.”

In the meantime, the Fernie Chamber is encouraging the local community to get behind the  #FernieToGo campaign and to support local food and beverage operators, as well as the wider business community. As Brad Parsell explains, “We are so lucky to have the vibrancy and passion that we have in  our business community. I encourage all Fernie locals to dig deep over the next few weeks, support local  by ordering take-out where you can, and be in the running to win $500!”