Staff
With Christmas less than two months away, town council received a financial request Monday night from the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau to support its 24th-annual community Christmas dinner.
In a letter to council, head organizer Karen Mitchell said the dinner will take place Sunday, Dec. 25, and she is on the move to secure donations for the popular event.
The dinner depends on donations of food and money to make it happen.
Many individuals and businesses donate turkeys, hams, stuffing mix, veggies, or money each year, with the money used to purchase any food or supplies that are not donated.
Last year’s dinner drew more than 200 people, with another 70 local residents receiving “Meals on Wheels.”
Fifteen turkeys and 10 hams were needed to feed dinner-goers.
“The Volunteer Bureau is a not-for-profit organization and relies on the generosity of the community to help us put on this dinner,” Mitchell wrote, adding a taxable receipt will be issued upon request.
Those wanting to donate to the event, or volunteer on Christmas Day, is asked to contact her at 274-9555 as soon as possible.
Mitchell noted it is necessary to begin the process because it takes several months to co-ordinate everything “in order to make Christmas Day an enjoyable one to those who are in need of a good meal and friendship!”
Also at Monday evening’s meeting, council:
•approved a Fire and Rescue Master Plan status report and amended the plan as required;
•approved a per diem claim for Coun. Paul Ryan in the amount of $75 (for attendance at the Rainy River District Municipal Association meeting in Emo on Sept. 29);
•approved a travel and per diem expense claim for CAO Mark McCaig in the amount of $113 (for attendance at a Parliamentary procedure workshop in Thunder Bay on Oct. 13);
•received an update on capital projects from Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown;
•referred a request from Riverside Health Care Facilities, Inc., re: use of the Memorial Sports Centre and Sister Kennedy Centre as temporary shelter in case of evacuation of La Verendrye Hospital, to the Community Services executive committee for its recommendation;
•proclaimed Nov. 5-11, 2011 as “Poppy Week” in the Town of Fort Frances, as per the request of Royal Canadian Legion Br. #29;
•referred a request from J. Kivimaki and J. Fournier, re: partial rebate on sewer and water billing, to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation, with input from the Administration and Finance executive committee;
•passed a bylaw to approve a service agreement with Darryl Allan, doing business as DA IT Consulting Services, for the provision of information technology services;
•passed a bylaw to approve an agreement with BFL Canada, in partnership with Gillons’ Insurance Ltd., as insurance provider for the period Nov. 1, 2011-Oct. 31, 2012;
•appointed Coun. Andrew Hallikas as a voting member of the Fort Frances Community Clinic board of directors;
•supported the City of International Falls’s position on the proposed location of the new Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in International Falls; and
•approved a draft economic development plan for the Rainy River Future Development Corp.’s next application to FedNor.
