The Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation announced eight new Sea to Sky grants this week after receiving 25 applications from local non-profit groups.
"It’s always hard to say no to applicants," said executive director Louise Lundy. "There are so many groups providing great services within our communities, but we try to select the programs that best suit our mandate and contribute to basic services that really impact families.
The Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation recently announced $275,000 in funding to the How Sound School District for techology.
"Those funds came from the sale of our 50 Founder’s Passes," said Lundy.
The grants are from the Telus Mountain Valley Golf Classic held at Nicklaus North Golf Course in September.
The successful recipients this round were:
• The Crisis Centre received $10,500 to conduct stress management and suicide prevention programs for Sea to Sky teenagers;
• The Teddy Bear Daycare Centre at Millennium place, originally funded by the foundation, will receive an addition $9,300 towards landscaping and safety improvements to the playground;
• Lions Bay Fire Rescue will receive $8,218 for auto extrication equipment;
• Pemberton Search and Rescue will receive $5,000 towards the construction of a garage to house their rescue truck and equipment. They lost some equipment in the recent flooding because they didn’t have a shelter for their gear;
• Whistler Community Services will receive $3,000 towards a community greenhouse project that will allow locals to grow food, donating a portion to the food bank. If the program is successful, the foundation will fund another greenhouse next year;
• The Howe Sound Women’s Centre Society will receive $1,925 for new school supplies and PE equipment;
• The foundation has put $10,000 aside for victims of the recent floods that will be distributed when the foundation determines where the funds are most needed;
• An in kind donation of $7,705 will go to the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation Environmental Fund, matching the contributions donated by employees towards environmental projects in the valley.
Since it was created in 1993, the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation has given out $2.5 million in grants to non-profit organizations in the region. Application deadlines are Oct. 1 and April 1 of each year.
