$20,000 in Terence Haight community grants

2018 Gravenhurst Terence Haight Community Grants: Standing back left: Glen Yakula Muskoka Pride, Beth Houston Severn River Rowing Club, Rebecca Paul Big Brother Big Sisters of Muskoka, Ann Curley Muskoka Steamships & Historical Society, Mayor Paisley Donaldson, Diane Duffy Ryde Community Co-op, Valerie Ceschia-Hart Gravenhurst Supper Club, Laura Meikle committee chair, Nancy Cronin,Ryde Community Co-op Andrew Currie, Sawdust City Music Festival. Front left, Bruce Hemphill Gravenhurst Curling Club, Tabitha Matzanke West Muskoka Ringette Association, Rhonda Schofield West Muskoka Ringette Association, Avery Turner, Rebecca Hickey and family.

GRAVENHURST — Terence Haight was a giving man.

And it’s his legacy of more than $1 million to the Town of Gravenhurst and its citizens that lives on through community grants.

And recently another round of donations was handed out to local groups.

Mayor Paisley Donaldson and councillors delivered news to nine applicants who were approved for Community Funding through the Terence Haight Community Grant Program.

 “Council is very proud of this program, funds (through Terence Haight) have went to support many worthy community organizations in Gravenhurst,” said Donaldson. “We hope that through this funding, this year’s grant recipients can continue to do the great work they do.”

Council approved the recommendations from the Terence Haight Financial Assistance Review Committee to award community grants to the following groups: Severn River Rowing Club $4,580; Gravenhurst Curling Club $3,000;Sawdust City Music Festival $3,000; West Muskoka Ringette Association $2,500; Gravenhurst Supper Club – $2,500; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muskoka $1,500;Muskoka Pride $1,250; Muskoka Steamships & Historical Society $1,000; and theRyde Community Co-operative Inc. $670.

This year the committee received 11 submissions with a combined grant request in excess of $32,000 for a range of community programming. The committee made its recommendations after carefully considering: the purpose of the grant request; the potential impact on the Gravenhurst community; and the ability of the committee to accommodate the dollars requested.

The Terence Haight Financial Review Committee is a committee of Council with the annual mandate to consider applications and recommend the awarding of $20,000 in community grants.

The program was established by the Town Council in 2013, following the significant financial bequest by Haight of $1 million to the Town. The fund’s goal is to provide limited financial assistance to groups and organizations within the municipality to assist with activities, special events or with an improvement to the organization’s existing assets. To learn more about the grant please visit:www.gravenhurst.ca/communityfunding