COTY 2012

Curling Legacies and TrueSport give back to the Community
through Rings, Rocks and Roll


In 2004 when the Scott Tournament of Hearts left a legacy with the Prince George Community Foundation, the designation was to promote curling in the region. Five years later with the Road to the Roar Pre-Olympic Curling Trials held in the City a second legacy fund was set up to support a similar cause. With both these funds in the position to grant, it was a natural fit when the Junior Curling program in conjunction with Active Support Against Poverty made application for funds through the TrueSport program. They have partnered to expandthe current curling program to include 10 additional spots for youth who would otherwise not be able to afford registration for this sport. Combined, the program will see over 70 young people learn the sport of curling and all they will need to supply is a pair of shoes. Equipment for the program such as brooms and sliders, along with a variety of other equipment to improve players skills and ability to learn the sport will be purchased and will last for many seasons. Equipment to promote Wheelchair Curling and Blind Sport Curling will also be included.

"We were happy to be able to work with these groups to put together funding to promote a sport that is highly supported in Prince George" said Judy Neiser, Executive Director for the Prince George Community Foundation. In total junior curling will see $4,000 from TrueSport, and an additional $3,000 from the curling legacy funds held with the PG Community Foundation. This will go to fund new equipment. Coaching time and Ice facilities are donations in-kind through the PG Curling Club, which will make for a total program worth over $17,000.

"This is the first year we have applied for the TrueSport grants and this is the second of the 6 programs chosen
to advance to the implementation stage. In total we will see over $70,000 worth of funding at work in the
community from the initial grant of $18,000 that we have received from True Sport., which has received their
funding through the JW McConnell Foundation.

"Because the program operates on the premise of Asset Based Community Development, TrueSport asks that
we look within our community to see what we have in the way of facilities, equipment, expertise and manpower
available. It stretches available dollars with in-kind support to make our granting dollars go further."

At the heart of True Sport is a simple idea … good sport can make a great difference.

 

Project Friendship Society Delivers
on True Sport Grant

Earlier this year The Prince George Community Foundation in partnership with True Sport and the JW McConnell Foundation awarded Project Friendship Society with a grant in the amount of $1,750. Delivering results for this funding, is Ricochet Recreation, or Ric-Rec as the participants refer to it, a program held weekly September through June at the Kinsmen Centre. The Project Friendship Society is a charity in Prince George that works to iintegrate people with special needs into the community based on their abilities, not their disabilities. To do this a variety of community connection support is provided which allows their clients to connect in the community in a way they are comfortable instead of being isolated and lonely, which often happens.

Operated by 6 volunteers, and accessed by 85 participants weekly, this program brings modern technology, activity, and fun together for individuals who may not have access to this media in any other form. The funding was used to purchase an XBOX 360 KINECT Bundle and two games, adventure and sports, and a 55" LED television.

"We are excited to be a part of this program" said Judy Neiser, Executive Director for the Prince George Community Foundation. "This is the first year we have applied for the TrueSport grants and this is the first of the 6 programs chosen to advance to the implementation stage. In total we will see over $70,000 worth of funding at work in the community from the initial grant of $18,000 that we have received from True Sport."

"Because the program operates on the premise of Asset Based Community Development, TrueSport forces us to see what we have in the way of facilities, equipment, expertise and manpower available. It stretches available dollars with in-kind support to make our granting dollars go further."

At the heart of True Sport is a simple idea … good sport can make a great difference. For more information and to join True Sport visit www.truesport.ca.

Lakeland Fire Assistance Fund

lakeland_logoIt has now been just over six months since a devastating explosion tore through the sawmill at the Lakeland Mills site in Prince George. Soon after the fire, people throughout northern BC and from across Canada opened their hearts and wallets, contributing to a fund set up with the Prince George Community Foundation. Under the direction of the fund holder, the funds were to be distributed based on "need".

At this time, the Prince George Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the PG Fire Assistance Fund Society has reported that all funds received to date have been distributed during the last few weeks.

We realize that the disbursement of this fund has taken much longer than even we anticipated. However, as you can appreciate, this was not an easy,
nor a small task. The 'need' was great and as you may expect, it was very diverse along with the abilities of individuals to express their need within the application. There were many, many requests for assistance submitted. The Prince George Community Foundation valued the importance of confidentiality in the review process in which all matters this delicate in nature need to be handled. To that end a Disbursement Committee was formed within the Society, that was made up of five individuals who are at arms-length from the company, the fund holder, the foundation, and the employees. In a community this tightly connected that was not an easy task, but out of fairness to you as a recipient, it was important to select the right individuals. These individuals were very dedicated and focused on the manner with which they reviewed the applications; with dignity, courtesy, respect and a very strong desire to do what was "as right as possible" for both the recipients and donors to the fund.

It is important to note that the Prince George Community Foundation agreed to both handle, and disburse the funds with no fees attached, so ALL of thecontributions made by various donors in the community were provided to those impacted by the Lakeland Fire event.

Lastly, it is important to thank the Lakeland employees for the patience shown in support of this process. We would also like to thank those individuals that provided acknowledgement of the task that was before the Distribution Committee. We believe the employees and the community held faith in the process, and an understanding that this was done with best intentions in place, and in the quickest manner possible.

We sincerely hope that the funds that have gone out will help in some way to ease the situation that the many employees of Lakeland Mills find themselves in as a result of this unfortunate tragedy.

October 30, 2012

 

Give a Man a Fish | August 2012