Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett announced last week that three community groups in 100 Mile House would share a total of $80,080 in provincial gaming grants.
The Horse Lake Training Centre will receive $7,500; the 100 Mile & District Women’s Centre Society is slated for $15,000; and the Youth Zone program is to get $57,580.
Horse Lake Training Centre president James Seeley says the $7,500 in funding will be used for this year’s operational costs for the facility, such as heating and other utilities, garbage removal, minor maintenance and repairs.
“We’re really happy to get it, as we struggle as a society for funding to operate.”
The facility is used regularly by the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, the Rocky Mountain Rangers Royal Canadian Army Cadets Corps 2887 and the C-Nile Youth Group.
“We’re hoping we get this grant every year because it costs a lot to heat that building, and [also] for simple things like maintenance on the furnace. We have to upgrade the emergency lighting system, and things like that.”
Seeley notes a lot of renovations have been done, but the building is now at a point where it needs to be maintained in a safe and usable state for the educational purposes.
“We do believe that’s a really important building to keep going for the cadets, the Ranger Patrol and the C-Nile program that goes on in there.”
100 Mile & District Women’s Centre executive director Terri Lewis explains she hadn’t heard yet about the grant, but confirms the $15,000 will be used for the drop-in program.
“We’re always happy to hear that we’re getting any money that keeps our doors open.”
While the funding is much appreciated, the society still needs more, Lewis says, adding the members had hoped they would get the full amount they applied for.
“It’s not enough [money] to deliver all the necessary services that the women in our community need, so we still look for funding, and we need help from our community.”
Lloyd Garner of the Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre, who operates the Youth Zone, says he cannot comment on what the $57,580 will be used for until he has received official notification about the grant approval from the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch.
