Christmas is coming early for two local community service groups, thanks to a sister agency.
The St. Albert Newcomers’ Club recently announced it will deliver cheques next week to St. Albert Victims’ Services and Sidekicks Mentoring to provide financial assistance for operations and programming.
According to the club’s president, the gifts are the members’ way of showing that birds of a feather need to stick together.
“The Newcomers’ is very happy to help and support other non-profit groups within our community,” stated Correna Bluetchen. “We’re a non-profit group ourselves. [We try to do] anything we can do to help and assist other charities.”
Every year the club fundraises through various efforts including raffle draws and an auction. That money gets pooled in with any annual operating surplus before the board votes on the recipient each year. Bluetchen herself was a proponent of the Sidekicks Mentoring because, according to her, it fills a major gap for a city that doesn’t pay great attention to its social deficits.
“We don’t have Big Brothers and Big Sisters and people tend to think that we don’t have that need in St. Albert. I thought it would be a great one so that they’re not forgotten. I know they don’t have as much funding as they could use.”
She added the money is definitely appreciated.
“I was indicating to the lady [from Sidekicks] that there was a donation coming and they were ecstatic. They’re so reliant on fundraising.”
The $850 donation to Sidekicks represents the Newcomers’ Club’s support for the 2007/08 fiscal year while Victims’ Services will get $1,500 from 2006/07. This year’s support will go to the Sturgeon Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer Association but not until the year-end accounting is finished.
The St. Albert Newcomers’ Club provides services and support to women who are new residents. Apart from providing a meeting place to start them off on their way to new friendships, it also organizes various specialty sub-groups including a book club, moms and tots, arts and crafts, plus one for older women.
Bluetchen said there is a common misperception about who is allowed to be a member. Although there has been a marked influx of British women coming to the city, any woman from anywhere can join. Usually new members have just been transferred from somewhere else in Canada.
The club has been serving the women of St. Albert for 35 years. Call 780-419-7395 or visit www.stalbertnewcomer.com for more information.
St. Albert Victims’ Services provides information and referral services to victims of crime or tragedy. It can be reached at 780-458-4353.
Sidekicks Mentoring matches community role model volunteers to school-aged children between the ages of 6 to 16. It can be reached at the Community Information and Volunteer Centre at 780-459-6666.
