OLDS — The Olds Elks Lodge and Whitecap Resources Inc. have cooperated to give the Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society with $33,000.
The cheque was presented recently outside Kirsten’s Place, the society's emergency shelter currently under construction in Olds.
Olds Elks Lodge #100 Leading Knight Jason McBeath said Whitecap raised $16,500 and the Elks matched it for the $33,000 total.
“It’s brilliant,” McBeath said after the cheque was presented.
“I mean it just directly lines with our mission: helping youth, helping families in the community, and the Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society is bringing their vision to life. We’re just very pleased to be helping out.”
McBeath noted that a few weeks ago, the Elks presented the society with $25,850 raised via a fundraiser auction and some cash donations.
“(It’s) a great cause and we’re happy to support it,” he said.
Whitecap Resources area superintendent Guy Hetu echoed those thoughts.
“It means a lot,” he said. “We’re very community minded.”
He noted that for the past few years, proceeds from the company’s annual golf tournament have gone to the society. He anticipates that will be the cause for the tournament next year as well.
“(We’re) trying to raise enough funds for them to kick this project off and it looks like they’re at quite the step along the way,” Hetu said.
The society's president, Joe Carignan, was pleased to accept the cheque on behalf of the society.
“This is absolutely fabulous,” he said. “The Elks and Whitecap, they’ve been great sponsors of us.”
“For the community to get involved and be involved -- that’s who’s building this house is the community, so it’s excellent,” he added.
Carignan said there’s still lots of work to do complete Kirsten’s Place and in order to operate it, so lots of money will still have to be raised.
He anticipated that the $33,000 will likely go toward security and fencing. A fence has been installed, but a gate for it is still required.
Brian Gardner Custom Homes is building the facility. It’s named after his daughter who was killed in Bowden in a case of domestic violence.
For that work, during a ceremony Oct. 24, Gardner received the Olds & District Chamber of Commerce Community Spirit Award.
After accepting the honour, Gardner gave an update on construction of Kirsten’s Place.
Construction of the facility began in May. At that time, it was predicted that it would be completed late this year.
Gardner told the crowd at the chamber event that that’s not likely to be the case.
“I am not going to say when we’re going to get in,” he said. “That’s just -- right now that depends on everything else.
We’re looking the new year, OK?”
Gardner said as of Oct. 24, work to install drywall in the building had just begun on the top floor.
