Creston town council received an eye opener at its regular meeting on Dec. 15 when it learned just how much Creston families rely on Friends of Children.
The organization has been turned down for Columbia Basin Trust community initiatives grants in the past because it applies under its legal name, a Northern BC affiliate.
“All of the money raised here in the Kootenays is spent right here, supporting local families,” spokesperson Gail Brown said.
Friends of Children assists families with children in medical need, covering travel and accommodation expenses for medical care outside the region. In 2014 it met 191 requests for a total of $38,070, Brown said in her presentation.
While the Kootenay organization is based in Cranbrook, Creston Valley families are among its biggest beneficiaries, according to statistics presented.
Creston grandparents Lorraine and Lawrence Ward spoke to council about their grandchild’s experience receiving cancer treatment in Calgary.
“They were incredible,” Lorraine told council. “Very supportive and understanding.”
Friends of Children serves families whose child has a medical condition or injuries, for both long term and emergency medical care outside the Kootenay region.
In addition to providing funds for gas, meals and hotels, volunteers provide other information specific to the child’s needs, Brown said.
“If a child has diabetes, we provide information about diabetes resources,” she said. “If it has a kidney ailment, we work to connect the family with specific services available.”
“We didn’t realize that Friends of Children was so active in our area,” Coun. Karen Unruh said, encouraging Brown to apply for Columbia Basin Trust funding through the town and Regional District of Central Kootenay areas A, B and C in the future.
Later in the meeting, council approved payment ($661.69) of the Creston and District Community Complex rental fee for the Creston Ministerial Society’s Hamper program use of the facility on Dec. 14 and 15. Unruh then moved to empty council’s 2015 discretionary fund by donating the remaining approximately $150 to Friends of Children, “to show our support.” The motion passed.
Council Briefs
•Council approved increases to water rates of two per cent from 2017-2020. No increase will be imposed in 2016. Sewer rates will rise by nine per cent in 2016 and five per cent from 2017-2019. In 2020 the increase will drop to two per cent. The total increase for sewer and utilities in 2016 will be about $20 per single-family residence, finance director Steffan Klassen said.
•At the request of staff, council added a number of possible projects for discussion in the 2016 budgeting process. The suggestions include the hiring of an events co-ordinator, marketing material promoting Creston and Creston Valley, design and costing of a proposed market park, parade floats, improvements to the current fire hall or construction of a new one, downtown beautification that extends to Northwest Boulevard, highway directional signage to the downtown core, public art projects, green energy improvements to town hall and trails expansion.
•A citizen who requested creation of a small dog park will be informed that council will not pursue the request in 2016 budget discussions.
•Appointments of councillors and staff to various committees were approved, with few changes from the 2015 list.
•Carr and Medlang, a local accounting firm, was appointed to be the auditors for the Town of Creston in 2016.
•A new animal care and responsibility bylaw was adopted, along with amendments to fees and charges.
•Coun. Kevin Boehmer chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Ron Toyota, who was in Vancouver to attend a Municipal Finance Authority meeting as a director.