As the owner of a candy store it would be safe to assume Shirley Hartwell has a sweet tooth. Now we can also confirm her as one of Richmonds biggest sweethearts.
Hartwell presented the Richmond Food Bank a cheque for $300 on Monday and its all because of a little idea she had last summer.
She decided to make her very own brochures for the locally filmed ABC television show Once Upon a Time, showing off various locations around Steveston that are used for the show.
I designed the brochure which is a walking tour of Steveston with all the place names of what the stores are now and what they become when they are transformed when we go from Steveston to Storybrooke, said Hartwell, referring to the fictional town that Steveston doubles as during filming.
The brochures were given to customers for a donation of $2 to the Richmond Food Bank and Hartwell was able to raise $300 since the donations began last summer.
We started that around August, so from August to now weve raised $300 for the food bank and that represents about 150 people that come here, said Hartwell. She got the idea for the brochures after she put up a Once Upon a Time-themed window display last year. It attracted a lot of customers, more so than the candy I think actually, she laughed.
Hartwell is a huge fan of the show.
I watch it all the time, Im right up to date on it, she said.
She has even made some fairy tale-themed treats in honour of the show.
Weve also started making Snow White fudge, and thats really taking off. Its bubblegum flavour with magic fairy sprinkles, said Hartwell. The kids are liking Snow White fudge and people who want a souvenir have something to take home.
Once Upon a Time will be filming its season finale on Wednesday afternoon.
