A local charity’s request for funding to cover the costs of a permanent location for its members was rejected by the regional district’s rural budget administration committee.
The Fort St John Men’s Shed group applied for a $45,000 grant to be distributed by the Peace River Regional District over a three-year period. They asked for an annual payment of $15,000 to help cover the costs of renting a specific space for members to gather.
“We still have a bit of a barrier when it comes to members feeling free to join and coming in under a different shingle, if you will, a different signage. My business being our meeting place it’s maybe not as conducive for meeting in a way where we know why we’re meeting,” explained Jesse Lambert, the president of Fort St John’s Men’s Shed.
Lambert presented to the rural budget administration committee but did not secure the grant.
“I was a little bit surprised, but you know I understand too — they have different pools that they’re allowed to pull out of,” he said.
Members of the committee said they could not provide the grant due to the current stage of the budget cycle.
“It’s just the wrong time of the year, but I encourage them to reapply in maybe January or February, when all the other grants come in from the nonprofits and the societies,” suggested Bradley Sperling, the director of electoral district C, during the meeting.
The men’s shed said they will continue to seek funding.
“We have a lot of options (for grants) ahead of us. Some require more hurdles but that isn’t really going to deter us,” he said. “Our front has really got a push on in all directions, we’ll look at all the funding that comes our way.”
Within city limits, the men’s shed hosts pancake breakfasts at Festival Plaza, works closely with the city’s palliative care society moving furniture, and makes flowerboxes to sell for the community garden.
“We’ve been able to go out to some of these outlying communities and help assist the elderly. That’s mainly where we’ve been called,” Lambert said. The men’s shed has built ramps, installed baseboards, and performed small tasks to assist residents in rural areas.
For now, work will continue as scheduled. The charity’s president said they will continue to host meetings out of his company’s unit, as they try to fund a more permanent home.
