CARSTAIRS - The Carstairs Church Link support organization helped community projects, summer camps, food hamper programs, individuals and others, all worth nearly $10,000 in 2023.
Officials appeared as a delegation at a recent council meeting to provide an update on recent activities and projects.
Carstairs Church Link is currently made up of pastors from The Rock Community Church, Carstairs Bancroft United Church, Carstairs Catholic Church (St. Agnes Parish), Bethel Evangelical Missionary Church, West Zion Mennonite Church, and Carstairs Church of God.
Link members meet monthly with Carstairs chief administrative officer Rick Blair, working with Carstairs FCSS, public schools and town administration.
The Town of Carstairs provided the organization with $10,000 in 2023.
In a report presented to council, Link officials said, “We want to help our neighbours through a difficult situation in the short-term and direct them to other community support resources if their need is more long-term.”
As of Dec. 5, 2023, the group supported the following projects:
• Summer VBS day camps and two soccer camps at a cost of $3,000.
• Benevolent care/financial support to Carstairs residents totalling $2,200. The support included groceries, gas, utility bills, therapist/counselling services and co-op grocery store gift cards.
• Christmas grocery hampers for Carstairs residents totalling $2,400.
• Community projects and support totalling $950. “We support a seminar to equip grandparents as influencers in the lives of their grandchildren, and also a marriage enhancement workshop at the Half Century Club.”
• Beef & Barley Days community service totalling $3,484.
“We try to offer holistic care to everyone, so our assistance includes financial aid, but also a personal visit, spiritual guidance, referrals to other community resources, encouragement, and a desire to ‘love our neighbour’.”
Organizations and individuals receiving financial support from Carstairs Church Link are never obligated or pressured to attend or participate in local church services or events, official said.
Council accepted the Carstairs Church Link report as information.
