One major Estevan tournament organizing committee stood up to help another this past weekend.
The Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup (WCC) organizing committee made a $40,000 donation to the Estevan 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games with a formal announcement by members of both non-profit groups on Saturday morning at the Estevan Farmers' Market.
Brian Senchuk, co-chairman of the Estevan Summer Games, said the donation pushes the group to about $3 million raised, which is just off their initial goal of $3.2 million. He said they are operating on a minimum budget meaning they have made some cuts to a few legacy projects, but receiving this donation does help them once again explore some of those previously cut projects that are crucial to the facilities in terms of operations for the Games and for future athletes and the community at large.
“We are reliant on income during the Games, (but) unfortunately that doesn’t come until right to the end,” said Senchuk. “We have a budget in mind, we’re hoping that we reach it, but obviously when you don’t have the cash in hand you’re always cautious until that actually happens. Of course all of our expenditures are budgeted and we’re doing our part to make sure the budget is balanced and followed as closely as possible to make sure that at the end of the day that we do balance our books.”
Senchuk said the WCC organizing committee being able to raise enough money to cover the costs of putting on the tournament as well as make a $40,000 contribution to each of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins and Summer Games is encouraging for their own efforts. He said in recognition of the donation the Summer Games have awarded the Western Canada Cup and Estevan Bruins the naming rights for their golf venue.
“When they announced that they were going to have the Western Canada Cup, obviously we were very supportive and encouraging of that despite the two major projects in one year in the city,” he said. “We knew that if any city could do it, we could do it. Plus with the people they had in place who are community leaders…we knew they would be successful. Fortunately we had no idea that they would be that successful, so way to go for them.”
