Duane Hicks
Knox United Church in Fort Frances is hoping to snag a grant from the Aviva Community Fund to help buy an elevator and make the building much more accessible.
But it will need the community’s help—in the form of online voting starting Nov. 11—to do so.
“Along with contacting our church membership and general community users, and hosting several planned fundraisers, we will be pursuing the possibility of acquiring a grant through the generous Aviva Community Fund,” said Bill Gushulak, who along with his wife, Mary Jane, is spearheading the campaign to raise funds for the elevator.
“Over the past several years, this fund has proven to be very popular across the country, and recently in our own district as we encouraged people to support the ‘I Am Awesome! (And I Know It!)’ fundraising campaign,” he added.
“They, too, I believe, are still in the mix to possibly receive funding and we wish them the best.”
Starting Monday, supporters can log onto the Aviva website at www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf19056 and cast their vote. (A story called “Making our community church accessible to all” will come up on the page.)
Voting ends Nov. 25.
“It should be noted that this voting exercise, although similar in nature to the very successful Kraft/TSN promotion held this past summer which supported the Fort Frances Curling Club, differs in one major way,” stressed Gushulak.
“Voters are allowed to vote only once per day per e-mail address for a total of 15 votes each,” he explained.
“Very simply, voting can be done at one’s leisure only once in each 24-hour period.
“No need to lose any sleep on this one,” he chuckled.
If enough votes are received, the community project will advance to the semi-final round in December.
“We also are encouraging that supporters contact everyone on their e-mail lists and then solicit their support, as well, and on and on,” said Gushulak.
He added there’s no doubt an elevator is needed at Knox United.
“Presently, as you are aware, there are a variety of levels within the building, which make it certainly difficult, and in some cases impossible, for many of those who have mobility issues to partake in any of the numerous activities that take place at Knox,” he told the Times.
“We are referring here to not only those who worship on Sundays, but the rest of the community users,” Gushulak stressed.
“The general Fort Frances and district community uses the church on a regular basis throughout the year for things such as the popular Christmas dinner, music and drama festival, funeral luncheons, baptisms, children’s clubs/activities, adult group functions, and so on,” he noted.
“Unfortunately, many are unable to partake in these special community and family gatherings without the installation of an elevator,” Gushulak said, adding that after reaching that goal, handicap-accessible washroom facilities also are in the plan.
The current washrooms simply no longer are safe or accessible for many who have mobility issues.
