Ogopogo Poop Now on Sale to Help Charity
Posted by: John Kirk on July 18th, 2006
A new product based on the mythical droppings of Okanagan Lake’s mystery beast is a hot new item on the retail circuit. The Kelowna Daily Courier newspaper carried this report on the sweet tasting droppings:
Ogopogo Poop has made its way into several Kelowna stores and will soon be on televisions across the province.
The poop—actually green jelly beans—is the brainchild of Okanagan sisters Chanel and Emily Chartrand. What started as a way to hand out Christmas gifts has now mushroomed into a burgeoning business and a province-wide phenomenon.
The Chartrand sisters began their ingenious home candy making business in 2003 with Snowman Poop, chocolate covered spoons sprinkled with marshmallows.
The girls then created a summer candy concept called Ogopogo Poop commemorating the legendary monster said to live in Okanagan Lake.
“It’s just expanded so much I can’t even explain it,” said Chanel. “It went from starting out in six stores to all the way to 17 stores across the Okanagan. It’s been an amazing adventure.”
The candy has made such a stir that it has helped send the Chartrand sisters on a trip to Mexico where they donated over 200 pounds of goods to poverty-stricken residents of Puerto Vallarta.
They have also made several donations to charities such as Unicef. And next week the pair will head to Vancouver to be featured on two provincial TV newscasts.
Learning how to operate a business at such a young age has given the sisters food for thought for a future career.
“I’m not sure what I want to do yet but it’s giving me so much experience that it would be good to start in that field,” said Chanel.
While the Chartrand’s candy business began as a humble venture, the Ogopogo Poop has really started to roll. It’s available in several stores in Kelowna including Shoppers Drug Mart, Calona Wines and Manteo Beach Resort and the girls are trying to get it into the Kelowna International Airport to capitalize on the air traveler.
But it was last year’s trip to Mexico, where Chanel and Emily learned firsthand how different life is for those less fortunate that has made the biggest impression. They are planning a second trip, again financed by sales of Ogopogo Poop, to try and make a difference.
“It really makes you think when your friends are bragging about their new expensive gadgets when some people really have nothing,” said Emily. “If people started paying more attention to the poverty in our world there wouldn’t be as much to worry about. You don’t have to be an adult to help. Just be creative.”
The girls are in the process of establishing a website that can be viewed at www.ogopogopoop.com when it is up and running.
I am very impressed by the efforts of these two young ladies who are no only promoting the most famous lake cryptid in Canada, but are also diligently seeking to help other, particularly in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico who are so much less fortunate than we are.
I roundly applaud their efforts and encourage Cryptomundo readers to visit Chanel and Emily’s website and buy Ogopogo Poop to help this very worthwhile cause.
It could be a great collector’s item down the road and I can tell you I will be getting some bags to eat and others to put in my collection of Ogopogo memorabilia.
About John Kirk
One of the founders of the BCSCC, John Kirk has enjoyed a varied and exciting career path. Both a print and broadcast journalist, John Kirk has in recent years been at the forefront of much of the BCSCC’s expeditions, investigations and publishing. John has been particularly interested in the phenomenon of unknown aquatic cryptids around the world and is the author of In the Domain of the Lake Monsters (Key Porter Books, 1998).
In addition to his interest in freshwater cryptids, John has been keenly interested in investigating the possible existence of sasquatch and other bipedal hominids of the world, and in particular, the Yeren of China. John is also chairman of the Crypto Safari organization, which specializes in sending teams of investigators to remote parts of the world to search for animals as yet unidentified by science. John travelled with a Crypto Safari team to Cameroon and northern Republic of Congo to interview witnesses among the Baka pygmies and Bantu bushmen who have sighted a large unknown animal that bears more than a superficial resemblance to a dinosaur.
Since 1996, John Kirk has been editor and publisher of the BCSCC Quarterly which is the flagship publication of the BCSCC. In demand at conferences, seminars, lectures and on television and radio programs, John has spoken all over North America and has appeared in programs on NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, TLC, Discovery, CBC, CTV and the BBC.
In his personal life John spends much time studying the histories of Scottish Clans and is himself the president of the Clan Kirk Society. John is also an avid soccer enthusiast and player.
These ladies sound young, but I do believe they have a fine future ahead of them. It’s refreshing to see young people caring about others and doing something constructive. A hearty pat on the back for you both. But then we are Canadians and that’s our way, right girls? I’ll be watching for your new site. I’ve been on the lake but never seen any sign of the big guy…pity.
this is very heartwarming, especially following the post from Loren on WWIII and cryptozoology…
If only our leaders could look at the world with the eyes of two little girls making candy and making a difference…
Well first a double-look at the headline, then another double-look at ‘Candy.’
I think the two young ladies have found a good career already.
I hope they get even bigger.
I suspect that DNA analysis of this alleged “Ogopogo poop” will come back just as conclusive as other cryptid scat finds!