Staff
Ten local organizations were given a boost in the form of dollars from the 2014 Moffat Family Fund on Monday night.
Fort Frances Deputy Mayor John Albanese presented $38,750 in funds to representatives of the various groups that were on hand at the Civic Centre.
These funds will be used to help local youth and families in various ways.
Among the recipients was the 144 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps.—Fort Frances, which received $2,800.
“We really appreciate this,” said Crystal Gray of the Sea Cadets, adding the dollars will help “revitalize” the group.
She noted the corps currently has only nine cadets but is trying to grow its numbers.
“And by growing our numbers, we’re also trying to get more programs going,” Gray said.
“This money is going toward our marksmanship program. It’s to buy the gear they need to compete,” she added.
“Last year was our first year in 10 years that we competed.
“The more activities we can do, the more we can encourage kids to join,” Gray enthused.
“We can say, ‘Hey, we’re fun!’”
The 908 Rainy Lake Air Cadet Squadron was given $3,000, which it will use for its ongoing programming, while the Sunny Cove Camp Advisory Committee received $9,000.
The Rainy River District Community Policing Committee, meanwhile, received $2,500 to continue its “Project Safe Hallowe’en” glowstick program.
Confederation College was given $3,000 to put on summer youth camps while the local Salvation Army was granted $5,000.
The Boundary Waters Dragon Boat Club was given $3,000, which club member Greg Thorstad said will be used to purchase tents to provide shade at the event, as well as some other equipment.
Friends for Kids Sports was granted $2,500, which was accepted by Gord Taggart.
Taggart said that in the past year, Fort High has had quite a few athletes travel abroad for OFSAA and high school administration requested that Friends for Kids Sports help them out.
The United Native Friendship Centre here was given $3,500 while the “Loaves and Fishes” soup kitchen at New Beginnings Fellowship received $4,450, which will be used to buy a new dishwasher.
The Town of Fort Frances has distributed Moffat Fund dollars for the past 12 years.
In 2002, the Moffat family entrusted $100 million to the Winnipeg Foundation, which, in turn, is responsible for investing the money and distributing it to communities in need.
After learning of this, Fort Frances applied for—and was chosen to be—one of these recipient communities.
That first year, the town was allocated $33,000 to divvy up.
Year after year, the town—along with other communities once served by the Moffat family’s cable television business—is eligible to receive some of the interest from that $100-million investment.
Fort Frances is among 12 communities being allocated funds to distribute to worthwhile causes this year.
