University of Calgary Students and Vector Marketing Canada Make Dream Come True For Children’s Wish Recipient
CALGARY, AB (PRWEB) January 21, 2014 -- Students in Dr. Derek Hassay’s sales management class in the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary recently raised $15,262 for the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. Thanks to their donation, a special four-year-old girl named Linden Walsh will realize her dream of traveling to Hawaii to swim with the dolphins. The check was presented to Linden and her family on Tuesday, December 3 during a presentation at the Haskayne School of Business. The money was raised as the result of a partnership between Hassay’s class and Vector Marketing Canada, the Canadian sales division of Cutco Cutlery Corporation, the largest manufacturer of high-end kitchen cutlery in North America.
Hassay developed the “Selling Smiles 101” program seven years ago in conjunction with Vector Marketing Canada. The unique partnership not only enables students to gain real world sales experience by selling Cutco, it also gives them the opportunity to fundraise for the Children’s Wish Foundation. Student sales teams in Hassay’s class are given a small budget and sample Cutco Cutlery kits. They are then asked to develop and implement an effective sales strategy and, most importantly, to actually go out and sell product.
“Not only do the students learn valuable selling and sales management techniques, such as dealing with customers and handling rejection, the project also teaches them the value of giving back to their community,” Hassay says.
Linden was diagnosed early in her life with Dravet syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy that begins in infancy. Her condition affects speech, motor and development skills, in addition to causing ongoing uncontrolled seizures. Children with Dravet syndrome will not outgrow their condition and current treatments remain limited.
“Prognosis for children like Linden is often poor but despite her diagnosis, Linden has continued to blossom and we are so happy to be able to help bring this special experience to her and her family,” Hassay says.
In the past seven years, Hassay’s students and Vector Marketing Canada have raised more than $200,000 for the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada and helped grant wishes for 14 children.
About Cutco Cutlery Corporation and Vector Marketing
Cutco Cutlery is a 64-year-old company with headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Olean, New York. Vector Marketing is the company’s sales division, coordinating all sales for Cutco Cutlery through a national network of college students who sell products through in-home personal demonstrations. More than 15 million US households have a Cutco product.
About Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada
The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada is dedicated to fulfilling a favorite wish for children diagnosed with a high-risk, life-threatening illness. The Foundation is the only all-Canadian organization with offices from coast-to-coast, granting wishes for these special children. To contact The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, call 1-800-267-9474 or visit http://www.childrenswish.ca.
Diana Laverdure, Vector Marketing (Cutco), +1 561-483-7040, [email protected]
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