When a Salvation Army forklift from 1988 broke down in Westbank, two local businesses stepped in.
Thanks to the help from Norval Rentals and Valley Lift Truck Services, the Salvation Army was able to get back to its normal production levels in.
After the forklift died, members of the charity began looking for temporary replacements while they shopped for a new machine.
When they contacted Norval Rentals to place an order, they were pleasantly surprised to hear that the rental agency was offering them the rental free of charge.
“We were thrilled when Norval decided to donate the forklift to us,” said Michael Frappier, manager of operations for the Westside Salvation Army. “This was a savings of nearly $2,500.”
When Brett and March Thompson, the brothers who co-own Valley Lift Truck Services, heard that the Salvation Army was relying on a rental forklift, they got involved with helping as well.
The Thompson brothers gave the Salvation Army a forklift for six weeks for free while they helped them find and purchase a new one.
“Once they found us a forklift, they delivered it to our location at no charge,” said Lenetta Parry, manager of community engagement for the Westside Salvation Army.
The brothers also installed several upgrades to the forklift to improve its efficiency and longevity.
Parry said a reliable forklift is a “must” to carry out their day-to-day activities.
“We move millions of dollars worth of food, clothing, furniture, emergency disaster supplies, and recyclables per year.”
