The board of directors for the Summerland Charity Shops Society would like the community to know that they are still here. They remain committed to supporting youth-related programs and the youth of Summerland.
During the 11 years that the Society operated the Penny Lane store they contributed more than $2 million to a long list of organizations in Summerland and the South Okanagan, whose focus is youth orientated.
In October of 2013, the society announced the creation of the Penny Lane Community Legacy Fund, established with the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan/Similkameen, with an initial commitment of $500,000.
Last year the $23,000 of interest earned on the fund, was given out to three applicants to that organization.
“We gave SADI $5,000, we gave Agur Lake $5,000 for a summer student and we gave to the Raise a Reader program $2,200. We gave roughly $13,000 dollars away and the rest of it we put back in for growth,” said Orv Robson, chair of the Summerland Charity Shops Society. “We’d like to see more of the money used.”
Monies from this fund will be available again this year and even though applying for grants can be somewhat of a daunting task, Robson said, “What I’d like to see people do is to make their applications through the Community Foundation.”
“We’re saying to go out there and ask for the funding,” Robson said.
He added that the Society has $135,000 set aside as their contribution to the new skate board park being planned in Summerland.
As well they offer two $500 bursaries to Summerland students each year, the Art Sewell Memorial Bursary and the Bella Blystone Memorial Bursary.
The Summerland Charity Shops Society hopes to continue supporting youth for many years to come, with the money that came from the liquidation of their assets.
“We have other investments that hopefully will grow and we can give more money away every year,” said Robson.
