Sandra Lewis manages the Archibald Clarke and Defieux (AC&D)Insurance branch in Quesnel, and has been a member of the Quesnel Rotary for 10 years. As president-elect for this year, Lewis is dedicated to making positive changes.
Rotarians are, as Lewis explained, “big-hearted” and are always looking for ways to give back and improve not only the area they cover, but internationally as well. The biggest focus, however, is what can be done locally.
Money raised from Quesnel Rotary events like Diamond Calcutta, the Craft Beer Festival, and upcoming Fashion Show on October 27th, are directly used for projects and programs that better the community. A current focus is the aftermath of the B.C. wildfires. Through the B.C. Wildfire Recovery Fund managed by Rotary Club of Squamish Foundation, a sum approaching $50,000 will be made available to the Rotary Clubs in the Cariboo to fund suitable community projects.
“Having dedicated our Fashion Show to wildfire relief and recovery, we hope to have up to $10,000 available,” Lewis said. “With this in mind, we are inviting requests for funding to be submitted now for consideration. While there is no firm deadline, we want to get funds into the hands of those who can best use it by the end of the year.”
The criteria for grant approval involve ideas for projects that will replace community assets lost in the fires, as well as those that create preventative assets for the future.
The area covered by the Quesnel Rotary extend to Wells, Hixon, Nazko, Kluskus, Kersley and Alexandria, all of which are welcome to apply for funding.
“Most people aren’t aware of what we do (or) the funds available to them,” Lewis said. “We decided we had to go out into the community and find out where the need really is … maybe there are a lot of programs that could use our money and don’t realize that [that’s what the Rotary is here for].”
The exterior decorating and installation of a new covered wheelchair for the Women’s Resource Centre, student exchange to and from many parts of the world, $100,000 toward Dunrovin’s palliative care wing and $20,000 seed money for Quesnel Youth Soccer’s indoor sports facility, are just some of the projects to which Rotary has contributed.
At 39 members, the Quesnel Rotary is always looking for new members, including youth, to take part in the positive difference Rotary makes in our community.
The application form can be found on the Projects & Project Funding page of the Quesnel Rotary website.
Tickets for the Fashion Show are now on sale at Willis Harper and Ricki’s Bootlegger.
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