Earlier this month, Safeway and Canadian country music star Brett Kissel came together to host a one-of-a-kind concert series in support of Alberta’s food banks and in celebration of our frontline heroes.
Brett Kissel: Live at the Drive-In is the first ever socially distanced drive-in country music concert series. With Safeway’s support, 100 per cent of ticket sales from all six shows were directed to Food Banks Alberta, and we are thrilled to announce that together we have donated $70,000 to help Albertan families keep food on the table.
It was important to Safeway and Brett that these concerts also celebrate the incredibly hard work frontline heroes have put in across the country since the onset of the pandemic. When the six shows sold out in just a few hours, there was no question that we needed to hold two more, very important shows.
The Frontline Heroes concerts gave 400 deserving frontline workers the opportunity to attend the show with their family or friends, and a chance to relax and celebrate all their hard work over the past few months. The audience included everyone from frontline healthcare workers, food bank staff, committed volunteers, firefighters, and 100 of our own frontline grocery heroes.
Employees working at any Sobeys Inc. banner location within 300 km of the concert venue were invited to enter a contest for tickets. Ultimately,100 lucky winning employees from 44 different Safeway, Sobeys and IGA locations received vehicle passes to the once-in-a-lifetime event. Their smiles speak for themselves!
Colleen Chiles from Soutbrook Sobeys shows off her limited edition Brett Kissel: Live at the Drive-In bag
Jorge Martinez-Gutierrez from Sobeys Bonnyville enjoys the show from the roof of his car.
Heather MacKenzie, who works at Sobeys Westlock, said the concert was just what she and her family needed right now. “We were supposed to be in the UK meeting our 12-week-old great niece and celebrating a big anniversary and a wedding this month, but the trip was cancelled because of the pandemic, so it was a great boost to go to such a fun event together.”
Heather and her family enjoying the show
See the highlight reel from the event here.
Brett Kissel Live at the Drive- In is one-way Safeway and the Sobeys Inc. family is supporting local communities through its Community Action Fund. Initiated at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Action Fund empowers 1,500 stores across the country to inject millions of dollars into Canadian communities. The fund has helped deliver food and critical funds to food banks and a range of other community organizations in need across Canada. To see more about the great support you and your teammates have already provided to your communities, click here.
