CLARK FREIGHTWAYS:
'You Only Get to Celebrate 50 Years in Business Once'
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MARCUS CLARK
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By CATHOLINE BUTLER VANCOUVER - Congratulations Clark Freightways on reaching the fantastic 50 year milestone in your business!.
Clark Freightways is one of the biggest freight carriers based in British Columbia. Their trucks are easily identified with the distinctive green shamrock featured on their logo.
To celebrate their anniversary, owner Marcus Clark hosted a lavish golf tournament for employees, retirees, customers and vendors at the prestigious Newlands Golf and Country Club in Langley.
Prizes at the June 23 event were valued well over $100,000 and included two cars. After a day of golfing, guests were treated to a steak dinner in the evening, followed by dancing to a live band and an appearance by the De Daanan Irish dancers to top off the celebration.
I dropped in to Newlands Golf and Country Club, just before tee-off time, to speak with Marcus Clark and ask him about his thoughts on reaching this significant milestone. His father Jimmy Clark, who founded Clark Freightways, passed away in 1997.
Jimmy's mother (Marcus's grandmother), Annie Connolly, emigrated to Canada from County Donegal. When Jimmy Clark founded Clark Freightways, he dedicated the company to his Irish mother, who raised the seven Clark children pretty much on her own. Jimmy never forgot the sacrifices that she made, so he made sure that the Clark vehicles were all imprinted with shamrocks in deference to her heritage.
Jimmy Clark would be proud of his son Marcus today as they celebrate 50 years in business and to see how successful and well-known Clark Freightways has become. They're still flying the shamrock and continuing the tradition he started.
With Jimmy's favourite piece of Irish music, Did Your Mother Come from Ireland, playing in the background, Marcus summed up his thoughts on Clark Freightways celebrating 50 years.
"I'm very proud and very happy. It is a milestone indeed," he said. "You know a lot of companies don't make it through their first two years. It wasn't always easy for Clark Freightways, and it's been a tough slog.....we came through some tough times.
"This is certainly an achievement and an accomplishment and we're happy today to be able to recognize all the people who helped us to get here. We will only be celebrating this 50-year anniversary this one time....so we're going all the way."
Proudly wearing his father's Claddagh ring, Marcus laughed and said, "you know Jimmy is here today. He's around somewhere. He wouldn't miss this celebration."
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