A Port in the Storm (APIT), an initiative that is raising money for a family-style home to be built in Winnipeg for rural and Northern patients and their families travelling down for medical reasons, has a promising year ahead if the beginning of 2010 is any indication of fundraising to come.
On Jan. 5, a media release was sent out from APIT announcing that two $500 donations have been made to the project; one from Sun Life Financial and one from the Thompson Citizen.
Penny Byer, board member for the Northern region, said seeing businesses get involved in such a generous fashion bodes well for the initiative.
"Thompson's fundraising efforts started only late last fall, and a wonderful momentum was beginning. It's gratifying to see that the momentum has been maintained."
James Crouch, who works at Sun Life Financial and is also chairperson for the Thompson APIT fundraising committee, said the cash donation adds to the support given by Sun Life Financial has already given by allowing members of the initiative to gather at the business' board room.
"Sun Life Financial has a philosophy that says it's not just a business or an employer, but it is also a citizen of the city and province in which it works," Crouch explains. "That is why you'll see the business actively supporting its employees' volunteer efforts. And I consider APIT to be one of the most worthy projects in which I am involved."
Donna Wilson, general manager at the Thompson Citizen, echoed Crouch's sentiments that it's important for businesses to get involved with volunteer organizations. Wilson herself organized the Old Fashioned Christmas Concert this past holiday season that raised over $3,000 for APIT.
"The $500 donation is a further contribution to APIT over and above what we raised at the concert," she explains. "We're definitely a community-minded newspaper, not just a community newspaper. We understand the needs of our readership and feel this is one way to help not only the community of Thompson but also surrounding communities."
The rural municipality of Kelsey passed a resolution recently that authorized a $5,000 donation cheque for APIT.
Joanne Loughery, president and board chair of APIT, says the entire Manitoba committee must raise $6.4 million of which $5.11 million will go towards construction; $220,000 will go towards the building site; it will take around $250,000 to furnish the house; a $500,000 endowment; and around $400,000 in development costs. She notes she is currently researching different grant possibilities. She says that before A Port in the Storm is launched publicly the committee wants to have $1.4 million raised, hopefully this month or by February.
