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Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Avison kickstarts donation challenge Rebecca Watson Omineca Express
Photo by Rebecca Watson
DONATION: Avison kickstarts funding to bring a pool to Vanderhoof with a $10,000 donation challenging other businesses to do the same. Holding the cheque is Stewart Sinclair, president of Avison Management, and Paul Stewart, representing the Regional Pool Society.
The Vanderhoof Aquatic Centre Society received their first large corporate donation Oct. 16 from Avison Management Services. The forestry consultant company donated $10,000 to the Aquatic Centre in hopes of starting a snowball effect, said Stewart Sinclair, President of Avison Management Services. “The idea is to get the process jump started,” said Mr. Sinclair. “We challenge some of the other businesses in Vanderhoof to now donate. Let’s get this project on the road.” With $7,833 raised from the comedy night last month, $2,833 from Invest Local BC, $2,400 from original memberships and $10,000 from Avison, the total amount of raised funds to date is $23,066. All the money raised for the pool goes to the Vanderhoof Aquatic Centre. The large donation from Avison was deposited in the Aquatic Centre Society’s
account and will stay there for the long-term, said Edna Oryschuk, secretary for the Stuart Nechako Regional Pool Society. “We’re raising funds on our own but the donation from Avison is much appreciated and is out there now to challenge other groups,” said Ms. Oryschuk. “It’s heart warming that we have folks in the community to support fundraising efforts [like the comedy night] and the public fundraising group will continue to have events because it all goes into the same pot, but it was very generous of Avison to kickstart the challenge.” Accepting the cheque on behalf of the Vanderhoof Aquatic Centre Society was Paul Stewart, president of the Stuart Nechako Regional Pool Society, a group established to help raise funds and maintain public presence. The regional group was formed about a year ago and over the summer the public fundraising group was developed in Vanderhoof to help with local fundraising. For more information visit the Vanderhoof Aquatic Centre Facebook page.
Early Years grand opening at Carrier Sekani Rebecca Watson Omineca Express It’s a good day in the neighbourhood when more free services become available for kids. The Early Years Centre of Carrier Sekani Family Services held a grand opening Oct. 24 to introduce an
array of new services. Held at the CSFS home location, the exciting day was accompanied by snacks, kids games and a ribbon cutting which included mayor Gerry Thiessen and elder Mini Thomas of Saik’uz First Nation. Each family that attended also got a free book to take home for each child
to commemorate the occasion. “These groups and sponsorships are so important to the community,” said Mayor Gerry Thiessen just before cutting the ribbon to officially open the new Early Years Centre. “When you see our students excel on a national level like Nathan
Nunn, it’s so great and it all starts right here.” The CSFS has helped both Aboriginal and nonAboriginal families for more than 10 years as a place to find and access all of the early-years services offered in the District of Vanderhoof. The new Early Years Centre will help to
provide even more opportunities for families with children aged 0-6, all of which will enhance the current services already offered, said Dawne Persson, the early childhood development team leader. “We’re a one stop shop,” said Ms. Persson. “And with these added programs we’re
Christmas by Kids Also featuring Children’s Stories, Pictures, Christmas Articles, Letters to Santa & more in the December 10, 2014 issue of the Omineca Express & the Caledonia Courier. Call us at 250-567-9258 for more information
reaching those families that are not able to access our current services because not everyone can afford things like preschool.” The new Getting Ready for Kindergarten program is geared for children going into kindergarten the following year and will run, Continued on page 2