INNISFAIL - The ongoing fundraising drive to pay for the restoration cost of the historic Sinclair House is getting a boost thanks to the popularity of a special brand of beer.
Last week, the Innisfail and District Historical Society received a $537.50 cheque from Great Western Brewing, an independent Saskatoon-based brewery that markets and sells its products in Alberta, including in Innisfail.
For the past year, Great Western Brewing has been supplying the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion with its popular Original 16 brand.
Sara Chomack, the company's southern Alberta Original 16 sales specialist, wanted to take the relationship with the legion one step further and proposed a unique promotional program that would benefit the community. It is called Pints for Charity.
"For me I just say, 'Here's a promo, a program I am willing to set up if you want to jump on board.' It is a way for me to give back to the community and help market Original 16," said Chomack.
The legion did jump on board, and a partnership with the beer company was formed to support the legion's chosen charity -- the Innisfail and District Historical Society .
The Pints for Charity program was run at the legion during the last three months of 2018. For every pint of Original 16 sold, Great Western donated 25 cents to the historical society. The final tally after three months was $537.50.
That money will go towards the ongoing restoration of the Sinclair House, a historic 130-year-old home that was moved 13 kilometres in late 2017 from the John Thomson family farm to the Innisfail and District Historical Village. However, the house, which had not been occupied for more than 30 years, required urgent repairs to its leaky roof, as well as in the interior.
"The historical village is very important to Innisfail. It shares the history of our community," said Joan Miller, president of the Innisfail Legion and longtime secretary for the historical society. "In order to keep it viable, charitable donations are most welcome," said Miller.
Anna Lenters, president of the historical society, said the first phase of the Sinclair House restoration project is now finished, with last year's completion of renovations to the exterior, notably a new roof and siding.
"The house is now safe and preserved from any inclement weather," said Lenters.
She said the project's second phase will begin this spring with the installation of the house's original windows, along with new casings. Lenters said the historical society will then target the interior of the house, which will require more fundraising monies.
"People have been very, very generous," said Lenters. "Those dollars come in. We take those dollars and we purchase from local businesses, like Co-op and Home Hardware -- supplies, and our wonderful volunteers take those supplies and they do the work on the house. It just ripples."
Lenters noted with sadness that John Thomson, who paid the cost -- about $30,000 -- to have the Sinclair House moved to Innisfail, passed away last December.
"He was the gentleman who spearheaded the moving of the house to the village," said Lenters. "His family requested that donations made on his behalf can go to the Sinclair House."
