The West Flat Citizens Group plans to create a new after-school and evening recreation program for local youth received a big boost Friday morning
The organization received $5,531.27 from the Canada Post Community Foundation to create the new program. Nicolette Larson, program manager of the Wet Flat Citizens Group, said the organization applied for the grant and was excited to be chosen.
“The West Flat, there’s not a lot of resources in that area,” she said. “There’s not much there. There’s like a grocery store and a couple corner stores. There’s not any kind of places to go and do stuff. The kids in the area, they need something to do to keep them busy and out of trouble.”
The West Flat Citizens Group operates the Bernice Sayese Centre. The organization already does a lot of community work with youth of all ages, and also operates different programs like one that offers free bread.
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The organization has been preparing for the program for a while. They recently had their gym renovated, and hope to use the grant for new sports and excercies equipment.
“We want to kind of have an after-school type program for kids to come in and use the space,” she said.
Larson spent last winter researching grants and found an online resource with a list of every grant available. She looked through the list and wrote five grant applications, three of which they received.
Jeff Walker, the local superintendent for Canada Post in Prince Albert, said roughly $1.3 million in grants have been awarded this year by the Canada Post Community Foundation to 106 organizations across the country.
“Today we are congratulating one of the 2024 Community Foundation crown recipients, which is the West Flat Citizens Group,” Walters said.
Walters said that Canada Post Community Foundation has been running since 2012 and has granted $14.8 million to more than 1,300 initiatives nationwide that enhance the lives of children and youth.
“The thing about the Community Foundation is the money stays in the community, so whatever money is brought in, it’ll stay in the province, and then we pick charities and from different organizations to give them money to,” Walters said.
The Canada Post Community Foundation is a registered charity that operates at arm’s length from Canada Post. Walters said that each year, the Foundation raises money through customer donations in post offices, employee contributions and the sale of a special annual stamp.
He said that some offices do events like bake sales to raise money.
Anyone looking to donate to the Canada Post Community Foundation can purchase a booklet of stamps at a local post office or visit canadapost.ca/community
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
