On Thursday Nov. 7, the Le Roi Community Foundation (LCF) handed out cheques totalling $25,060 to 12 local charities.
In total, the LCF disbursed $34,282 in grants and scholarships throughout 2019. Since 2008, the LCF has distributed $350,000 in grants and scholarships.
“It’s so great to see a number of our fund holders present during the evening: Madeleine and Juris Harlamovs, Pat and Jack McConnachie, Trish Exner, and Louise McEwan (for Tom and Edie McEwan),” said LCF president Scott Daniels.
The evening’s recipients were: Camp Koolaree Society, Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network, Columbia Basin Alliance for LIteracy, Trail United Church Food Bank, Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association, Skool-Aid 2020, Kootenay Boundary Health Foundation, Kootenay Robusters Society, Rossland Arena Society, Rossland Sustainability Commission, School District 20, and the VISAC Gallery.
One major donor to the LCF, the Kootenay Savings Community Foundation, provided over $13,000 in support for grants provided during the evening.
Daniels explained that the Foundation provides opportunities for organizations, businesses and families to leave lasting legacies in the Lower Columbia (Rossland, Warfield, Trail, Montrose, Fruitvale and Areas A & B of the Regional District).
Donors are able to have their funds named and held in perpetuity with only the accrued interest distributed annually through grants and scholarships.
Donors are able to designate causes that their funds will support: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment, Health and Wellness and Sport and Recreation.
“It’s a current goal of the Foundation to provide fund holders with an opportunity to have their story told and shared with the larger community,” said Daniels.
“The LCF run by a volunteer board of directors. Currently there are 10 board members including community-minded persons from all areas of the Lower Columbia,” he added. “Fund donors can have confidence in the longevity of their legacies because the LCF was sponsored by the Vancouver Foundation and operates under the umbrella of Community Foundations Canada.”
At the Foundation’s www.leroifoundation.com website, using video and stories written by fund holders, Madeline & Juris Harlamovs (James Harlamovs Funds) and Trish Exner (William Exner Fund) have recently shared their stories.
Anyone interested in joining the board is encouraged to contact Daniels through contact information at their www.leroifoundation.com website.
Photo: Grant recipients awarded funds from the Kootenay Savings Community Foundation fund, left to right, Kristen Renn (VISAC Gallery), Natalie Marko (Camp Koolaree), Anne Damude (Rossland Sustainability Commission), Forrest Drinnan (Kootenay Savings Community Fund), Trent McNabb (Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association), Gail Ross (Kootenay Robusters), and Carol Amantea (CBAL, Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy).