A $50,000 grant will enable the local SPCA to construct a facility to better house their recycling operations.
It was announced on Canada Day, at Salmon Arm’s Children’s Festival, that the BC SPCA Shuswap Branch had won the Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union Canada 150 Grant.
The grant will be used to build a recycling centre to provide storage and adequate space for sorting bottles and securing donations. Any remaining funds above the cost of the project will be directed to animal medical and wellness needs at the branch. “Thank you to SASCU’s members for choosing us as their Canada 150 community project,” said Victoria Olynik, BC SPCA Shuswap Branch manager. “It shows such incredible support for the work that our volunteers do to protect and enhance the quality of life for animals in the Shuswap.”
The Shuswap SPCA’s entry for the grant states that in 2016, volunteers at the branch spent more than 800 hours sorting and returning $12,000 in donated bottles and cans to the bottle depot.
“Currently, they are using a tarp over part of a carport which does not allow for basic necessities for volunteers, such as heat and lighting, especially during winter months,” states the Shuswap Branch entry. “Having a recycling centre on (the) property will reduce the amount of bottles and cans littering our community roadways and parks, and the Shuswap Branch also recycles all of the plastic bags and boxes used to drop off donations. A small building is necessary to keep the materials secured and contained in an organized manner.”
There was initially 28 applications for the grant. “We… commend all of the organizations for their participation in the SASCU Canada 150 Grant process,” says Barry Johnson, SASCU board of directors chair. “Each demonstrates the strong community spirit and volunteerism in the Shuswap.”
