Three organizations in the Estevan area have received funding through the Vital Community Conversations initiative, as part of the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation’s (SSCF) 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Estevan Humane Society, the Estevan chapter for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Southeast Advocates for Employment will all receive support.
SSCF executive director Donna Ziegler says it is exciting to see the program unfold and to already hear of some of the results.
“These conversations take a variety of formats and cover a wide range of topics including health and wellness, education, sustainability and many more issues, with the objective of listening and sharing perspectives on common key questions,” says Ziegler.
“We believe in facilitating Saskatchewan philanthropy, supporting local charities, and developing our community so that our home is a more vital, strong, and fair place to live, work, and play. We want to hear about what matters most in the communities and find solutions together.”
There are 50 grant recipients in almost 20 communities, and the foundation estimates that more than 2,000 individuals will be involved before April 30. Each recipient is a registered charity that receives a $300 microgrant from SSCF.
“The Estevan Humane Society wants to further educate the community on the importance of getting your pets spayed and neutered, responsible pet adoption and ownership, and treating animals as part of the community,” said humane society president Angela Prette. “The grant from SSCF will help us host a successful Vital Community Conversation on this topic.”
“MADD Estevan is using the grant it received for hosting one of SSCF’s Vital Community Conversations to host a town hall in Estevan discussing the benefits of RID (Report Impaired Drivers) and 911,” said Estevan MADD chapter community leader Connie Hagel.
“When it comes to reporting impaired drivers, many people are unsure of who to contact, especially when seeing an impaired driver in real time on the road. We want to change that. MADD Estevan wants to also show our community the extent of the problem by posting signs around the city that say ‘Impaired Driver Caught Here.’ This method will make people aware of how much a problem that impaired drivers are in the community.”
Stephanie Kane Davis, settlement advisor for the Southeast Advocates for Employment, says that “every month we notice more newcomers move to southeast Saskatchewan. We feel it is important to inform, prepare, and help newcomers who move to our area to feel accepted and integrated into their new communities. The opportunity to talk with these new Canadians through Vital Community Conversations will allow us to be the voice they need when working with businesses, city officials, and government.”
The Southeast Advocates for Employment will host their conversation March 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Spruce Ridge School, while the Estevan Humane Society is hosting their conversation on March 21. The time and location is still yet to be determined. The date and location for the MADD Estevan Vital Community Conversations have yet to be determined.
