Auburn Bay A&W owner and 'community champion' Balwant Singh rallies around neighbours in need

Balwant Singh believes in giving back to his community, and is always one of the first people to step up for a neighbour in crisis.

Singh is the franchisee owner of the A&W in Auburn Bay. Inside, the walls are full of thank you cards from nearby schools, certificates from the municipal and provincial government, and even the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee medal in recognition of his contributions to Alberta.

"To make this world a good place to live, we all have to do our part," he said.

"We all have to come forward and start with small, little acts of kindness. One at a time, it’ll make a difference."

Singh’s restaurant is currently collecting donations from customers to support a local widow and mother of five who is grieving the unexpected loss of her husband.

"It has been awful, the last two weeks have been horrendous," said Amanda Gurney. "Words can not describe how it feels for them to be able to help our family in this awful time."

"Being willing to help us, (it) gives me peace of mind. I can sleep at night knowing there is good people out there willing to help us."

On Wednesday, $2 from every combo sold at the A&W in Auburn Bay is being donated to a fundraiser for Gurney, and 100 per cent of all cash donations will be matched.

Singh came to Canada in 2005, and opened the business nearly a decade ago.

He says this is just one of many fundraisers he has supported over the years.

"We’ve been in this community for eight years, so it’s more than family to us.Whenever they need us, we are here for them, and whenever we need, they’ve supported us," he said.

"It’s so emotional. We can understand their pain and what they are going through."

Balwant Singh is the franchisee owner of the A&W in Auburn Bay. He's seen here with his team. In just recent months, the restaurant has raised funds for a family who lost a dad and grandfather when the truck they were working on collapsed on them. 

The restaurant also collected donations for a family whose dog was killed in a pit bull attack in in February, and for families that lost their homes to a fire in Auburn Bay in January.

Earlier this month, Singh also put on a fundraiser to contribute to funds being raised for a four-year-old girl with a neurodegenerative disorder who was in need of a robotic walker.

As a husband and father to three children, Singh says he feels compelled to contribute and use his business’ platform to help those going through difficulties.

"They keep supporting us, and we think it’s our job to stand with them during those hard and tough times.

"We’re just trying to play our part, nothing special that we’re doing," he said. "We can help each other, and this is how we can make our community best to live for our generation and future generations."

'Community champion'

On Wednesday, Singh presented a cheque for $12,000 to the Calgary Health Foundation in support of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in Alberta, which was raised by customers coming into the restaurant.

It is an organization he has been actively supporting since 2018.

"Balwant is definitely a community champion and we’re so grateful to have his support," said James McCurdy with the Calgary Health Foundation. "He’s been supporting us since 2021, and people like him make a huge difference."

"We’re so proud of the work he’s done, it’s really led by him," said Josée Belzil, an A&W Canada business manager who works with franchisees across Alberta.

"It’s all driven by him, he does it all with such genuine sincerity in his heart.

"It’s thanks to him and the great relationship he has in the community."

While Singh is proud of the contributions, he refuses to claim credit for them.

"It’s not me, It’s my community, my team. They all supported us and made this possible to give. I know maybe it’s just a small amount, but I always say, 'If we really want to change the world, we all have to start one step at a time,'" he said.

Next, Singh plans to fundraise for residents displaced after a massive fire condo fire in Mckenzie Towne that destroyed 48 units.

For more information, you can visit the A&W Auburn Bay Facebook page.