Duane Hicks
Finding it more difficult each year to drum up the funds—and volunteers—to keep Canada Day celebrations going here, the “Fun in the Sun” committee has asked the town to donate $10,000 to pay for year’s fireworks display.
“As with most service clubs and organizations today, the ‘Fun in the Sun’ committee is struggling and has been for several years,” said committee member Scott Turvey, who made the funding request at council’s regular meeting Monday night.
“The committee is made up of six-10 members who have been involved for 10, 20, and 30-plus years,” Turvey noted. “We struggle with a lack of resources, lack of funding, lack of untapped fundraising ideas, lack of members, lack of new, fresh ideas and people to make things happen.
“We have seriously contemplated folding for at least the last five years, if not more, and 2010 is no exception.
“Fireworks alone cost a minimum of $10,000 each year. [But] the financial contribution we receive from the town and other funding partners is less than that amount and the committee is left fundraising to make up the difference,” he explained.
“In addition to the fireworks, we have to take into account expenses related to the [Canada Day] parade and other activities that the committee co-ordinates for the celebration.
“In today’s economy, it has proven to be a daunting task—one that we are struggling with and falling behind on,” Turvey stressed.
“Although the committee sees ‘Fun in the Sun’ and the Canada Day celebrations as an important community event that the entire town and residents enjoy and partake in, we simply cannot continue in this fashion any longer,” he warned.
“The committee feels strongly that we have no other option at this point but to put the ball in the hands of the Town of Fort Frances.”
Turvey said the committee strongly urges the town to commit funding of $10,000 to guarantee a spectacular Canada Day fireworks display this year.
“Without the additional funding, the committee feels that the Canada Day celebrations cannot be organized in a manner that would make our residents proud to be Canadian,” Turvey concluded.
Last year, “Fun in the Sun” had a total budget of about $17,000—$11,600 for the fireworks, $2,000 for the parade, and the balance for everything else.
The budget was comprised of $5,000 from the town and $4,000 from the Department of Canadian Heritage’s “Celebrate Canada!” grant program, with the rest being funds raised by FITS.
One of the problems is that the committee usually doesn’t find out how much “Celebrate Canada!” funding it will receive until shortly before July 1, and some members basically have to risk some of their own money in good faith they can get it back if the funding come through.
“We can’t afford to go on,” Turvey reiterated. “We have such a small committee, and very few volunteers that are able to do anything in the way of major contributions for Canada Day.
“I think that’s one of things you’ve noticed over the years—it’s dwindled down smaller and smaller—and that’s part of it, trying to find volunteers,” he argued.
When asked about fundraising, Turvey noted the major FITS fundraiser has been raffles (NASCAR, NHL, etc.) And this year, they may try some sort of Bingo game, where people buy Bingo cards and then get numbers from the newspaper.
This is being reviewed by town clerk Glenn Treftlin in terms of lottery licensing.
Meanwhile, council referred the funding request to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation.
“We’re not just going to put it on the shelf,” Mayor Roy Avis assured.
