CMX Outdoors hosted their Customer Appreciation Day BBQ on June 6th. They host this event every year, giving back to their customers and community with delicious food and a safe space to get together and celebrate Swift Current.
But for CMX, it isn’t just about customer appreciation. They strive to give back to the community in a bigger way.
“We always try to do something extra for the community,” says Ken Erickson, Fixed Operations Manager at CMX. “We donated to mental health awareness, SPCA, Navy League… we aim to donate in ways that impact our community directly.”
This year, donations were made to the Salvation Army Food Bank, a cause very close to Haley Volk, Multifunctional Operation Specialist at CMX.
“Growing up, my family regularly used the food hamper,” says Haley. “Even as recently as last year, I had to rely on it to feed myself and my family.”
Going into their Customer Appreciation Day, Haley knew one of the supports the community needed the most was food.
“There are a lot of people struggling right now,” she says. “But in the past few years, I’ve noticed the support for Salvation Army go down. I’ve watched them go from being fully stocked to barely having anything, while the need has only been going up.”
CMX raised $1,753 from their barbecue, and that entire amount went towards purchasing food for the Salvation Army Food Bank.
Ken expresses his thankfulness for Haley’s firsthand experience with food banks as she guided the team through the Wholesale Club.
“Not all kids want bland crackers,” says Haley. “They like granola bars, fruit cups, juice boxes – food that actually tastes good! It’s also important to find sugar free options for diabetics, and food that’s good for other dietary needs.”
With the huge success of this fundraiser, CMX is now looking forward to more opportunities to support the community. They currently have a backpack drive in the works to collect school supplies for children, so keep your eye out for more information on that in the future.
Ken adds, “Anything we do, though, is going to be fun. That’s how we roll.”
Since the origin of CMX, having fun and following their passion has been a core piece of their personality as a business.
“About 7 years ago, we had the crazy idea of opening a powersports dealership. Jeff and Jason Parsons [the owners of Cypress Motors] were incredibly supportive and let us go for it, and I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve grown into and the people we work for,” says Ken.
CMX started small, with Arctic Cat and Kawasaki powersport vehicles. From there, they started selling EZ-GO golf carts, and they are now Saskatchewan’s EZ-GO Fleet reps. The outdoor section soon followed with winter and summer fishing gear, the e-bikes. And now, wood pellet grills, as well as an endless selection of barbecue spices and rubs.
“I’m constantly adapting to each little idea Ken has,” says Haley. “And I’m glad we have such a supportive team – almost like a little family – who make everyday fun and exciting.”
“We’re big believers in having an adventurous atmosphere for our clients, and that spills over into our events,” says Ken. “We want to help because we care about what happens in our community as well.”
At the end of the day, it’s clear CMX is here to help the community thrive and have a good time. And they encourage other businesses in the community to do the same.