Cranbrook & District Community Foundation

Community Foundation’s Gala Event
September 27, 2004, Press Release

A full slate of politicians celebrated the dispersal of $5,000 in grants at the official launch of the Cranbrook & District Community Foundation (CDCF) Saturday evening, Sept. 25.

Grants were given to four local groups thanks to the LEAD program of the Vancouver Foundation. New Foundations, such as CDCF, are eligible for LEAD grants for the first seven years of operation. The recipients of the grant money are chosen by the local foundation.

Recipients of this years grants are the Columbia Basin Coalition for Literacy, $450; the Friends of the Cranbrook Library, $750; the Women’s Resource Centre, $1,300; and Cranbrook Community Theatre, $2,500.

The specific projects supported are the Children’s Festival, a new teen area at the Cranbrook Library, a community kitchen for women to work together to learn cooking and food budgeting, and new sound and lighting equipment for the Studio Stage Door.

The Green Home Foundation also signed a Deed of Grant for $50,000 with the CDCF which will support programs to improve the quality of life for seniors in our community.

Kootenay Columbia MP Jim Abbott spoke about the uniqueness of the Cranbrook area and described the Foundation as a new part of the underpinning of the community. MLA Bill Bennett discussed the value of volunteerism in communities. He described it as a distinguishing feature of free societies.

Councillor Scott Manjak attended as the representative of the City of Cranbrook, and said that the Foundation is a reflection of community values of sharing and community support. There is an increasing need for community foundations that allow individuals and organizations to be part of the community.

Mike Karteshev, the Area C Director for the Regional District of East Kootenay, pledged to work with the Foundation for the benefit of the region.

Also in attendance was Barbara Oates, the regional representative of Community Foundations of Canada. She spoke on the history of community foundations world-wide, and described the Kootenays as “a hotbed of community foundations”. She first became aware of the development of a community foundation in in Cranbrook early in 2002 when she was contacted by Neil Cook, who, together with Anne Edwards, started the process that led to the distribution of grants on Saturday.

Oates also lead a 6-hour workshop on “Writing Winning Proposals” earlier on Saturday which was well attended by representatives of local organizations interested in applying for grants from the Vancouver Foundations, Columbia Basin Trust, and the CDCF. Jean Terlesky was also in attendance to explain the particular requirement of Columbia Basin trust.

Today the CDCF has a full Board of 15 highly qualified community members, and has first year investments totally well over $100,000 and growing. The income from these investments, which are managed through the Vancouver Foundation, will be returned to the community in the form of grants for community projects in a variety of fields including arts and culture, education, health and physical activity, environment and social services.

Contributing individuals and organizations may specify the area that their money will support, and know that the bequest is permanent. The motto of the Foundation is “A gift for good and forever”,

e-mail us

801B Baker Street, Cranbrook,
British Columbia,
Canada V1C 1A3
(250) 426-4195

Thank you to our Sponsors!