OLDS — Representatives of five local organizations split a total of $3,320, disbursed from the Chic & Billie Miller Endowment Fund during a ceremony June 9 at the Olds United Church.
Olds & District Hospice Society (ODHS) and Quilts to Community received $1,000 each. Mountain View Moccasin House Society (MVMHS) was presented with a cheque for $610. The Olds Community Choir received $460 and $250 went to Threads of Kindness.
Mayor Judy Dahl distributed the cheques on behalf of the fund.
Chic Miller was a successful Olds businessman. Upon his death in 2005, he left a legacy that was deposited at the United Church Foundation in Toronto. The fund was set up via the United Church of Canada.
It was requested that the mayor of the day distribute the money.
Applicants are evaluated on community involvement and benefits, innovative and/or unique attributes, if the project will benefit more than one sector of the community, and if the applicants have obtained other financial support for the project.
ODHS executive director Mary Smith noted that that society focuses on making a person’s end-of-life journey as comforting as possible.
As a result, it offers a variety of programs to help clients and their families cope with that journey.
Earlier this year, ODHS moved to the Olds United Church from its former location at 50th Street and 50th Avenue.
Smith said the move has been great.
“It’s comfortable and our clients, our donors, our volunteers, we love being here. It’s such a warm and welcoming space, so thank you for sharing your home with us,” she said.
Smith told parishioners that on July 16 ODHS will be holding its annual memorial butterfly release fundraiser at 10 a.m. near the big barn in Olds College's Botanic Gardens (also known as the wetlands).
People can purchase butterflies in memory of loved ones and then release them during the ceremony. Those butterflies, contained in little boxes, are available for purchase until July 13.
Smith said the species released are all painted lady butterflies.
“They’re native to the area, so they’re not being harmed and they’re not harming the vegetation,” she said.
"If you are around or you want to take part in that ceremony, you do not have to purchase a butterfly to attend, you can just come out for the event,” she said.
Dixie Hodgson of Quilts to Community told parishioners that she received a huge amount of material last year – so much so that over time, various family members and friends got involved as they tried to make quilts with all that material.
"My basement became a sewing house and we started,” she said. “It’s been so much fun. We really have enjoyed it.”
Since last August, they have made 207 quilts that have been donated as far away as Red Deer and Lethbridge.
They presented a huge batch to newcomers from Ukraine during a Christmas dinner late last year, organized by the Rotary Club of Olds.
“We said to them, ‘we want you to pick the quilts you want.,” Hodgson said, “and we just had the time of our life meeting all these people and getting hugs from them. And they just couldn’t believe that they each got a quilt.”
Hodgson said the money received June 9 will go toward the purchase of batting (the plush material on the inside of a quilt).
Debbie Collins of Mountain View Moccasin House accepted their cheque.
She explained that the organization is a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who live in Olds and Mountain View County.
“We’re working together to raise cultural awareness," she said.
“We know that there’s lots of misunderstanding about Indigenous people and their culture and so we try to bring teachings to the area and support people in the community – Metis, First Nations and Inuit people who live around here – who are wanting to find out more about their culture.”
To that end, MVMH has organized several cultural events like ribbon skirt ceremonies, drum-making workshops, a beading workshop and talks with elders.
Collins said the cheque the group received Sunday will be used to help cover costs for events to be held on June 21, National Indigenous People’s Day.
She noted that like last year, one of those events that day will be a story walk from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. for young readers.
“There’s a page periodically along a path that will lead to the teepee behind the library,” Collins said. "They’ll read a page and then they’ll read with their moms and dads and so on and move on to the next page."
“The Kiwanis (Club) has lots of storybooks that we can give to children.”
Collins said other events planned include two school visits.
Inuit people will perform traditional dances at École Deer Meadow School and Metis Region 3 Elder Doreen Bergum will lead young jiggers in a performance at École Olds Elementary School.
Derek Lewis accepted the cheque for the Olds Community Choir.
He was asked if he had anything to say about that organization.
“(Nothing) other than the fact that we think we’re pretty good," he said, sparking laughter.
Lewis noted the choir gives two concerts a year, close to Christmas and in the spring.
“We are very grateful to have received this donation from Chic and Billie and I’m sure we will be able to put it to good use,” he said.
Gail McDonald accepted the cheque for Threads of Kindness.
She said that group has been sewing items since about 2000. Every Tuesday about 14 members gather at a room provided for them by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #105.
They donate their pieces to a variety of non-profit entities including victim services, Olds & District Hospice Society, McMan Youth Family and Community Services Association and the Christmas Angels.
They have also taken some of their pieces to Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer.
“We have a good time, all together,” McDonald said.
