The money is raised by collecting money from customers who keep their own personal pairs of hand-decorated Japanese chopsticks in one of the 60 lockers at the sushi bar located at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Sushi chef Tatsuhiko Okazaki, his wife Rieko Okazaki and their employees Katrina Turcot and JoAnn Black presented the cheque to members of the Right to Read Society April 16.
Upon receiving the donation, Jeanine D’antonio, president of the Right to Read Society, forfeited the standard handshake and instead gave Tatsuhiko and Rieko each a big hug.
The Right to Read Society is a registered charity established in 1991 to help children with learning difficulties achieve success with reading and comprehension skills.
The society’s $2,100 donation to Jasper Elementary School covers half the cost of an Accelerated Reader computer software program.
As well as accepting donations from businesses like Oka Sushi, Robinsons Foods and the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Bellman, the society also fundraises through its annual Duck Race and popcorn sales at the Jasper Heritage Rodeo.
The remainder of its funds for 2013 will be used to host a summer reading camp at the Palisades Stewardship Education Centre July 15-18.
