The Family Resource Centre was designed to help provide what the community needs. It has taken a long time to build up and has become very rewarding, said Karolyn Kosheluk.
鈥�The Sturgis/Preeceville/Endeavour Child Action Plan Committee (CAP) which operates the Family Resource Centre met April 13, to examine the future of the Family Resource Centre as a result of the ending of a long-term funding relationship with the Sunrise Health Region,鈥� said Miles Russell.
The CAP Committee reviewed the impact with the loss of $30,000 a year from the Sunrise Health Region as of March 31, 2016. The funding that ended provided the wages for the Family Resource Centre co-ordinator, who currently is Karolyn Kosheluk. The committee has some funds to continue providing wages for the co-ordinator for the next couple of months.
The Child Action Plan Committee acknowledged that the co-ordinator is essential in providing any and all programming. The CAP Committee also expressed the strong desire to continue a long-term relationship with Karolyn Kosheluk as the Family Resource Centre co-ordinator. The committee values the extensive programming that has been done over the past 20 years of the centre鈥檚 existence and appreciates the evolving nature of programming in response to community needs. The Family Resource Centre has always worked with and found many community partners in providing important initiatives.
The health region, which has supported the centre for the past 20 years, has cut all core funding聽 to the centre.
鈥淲e are faced with our biggest challenge to date,鈥� said Kosheluk. 鈥淲e do have funding for programs through grants but the future of the location and the facilitator are at jeopardy. The committee is trying to keep the doors open but need the community to help out with the financial short come. The committee is committed to keep it running.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Some of the main programs feature the summer fun program, Filling The Gap, and the centre provides information of many other services offered in the communities, she said. 鈥淚t has taken a lot of years but individuals finally know that we are here and we can provide help or help provide information of other services. Filling the Gap is an invaluable program that counts on community donations along with the churches鈥� support.
The summer fun program offers a lot of fun with crafts and is a staple of the Family Resource Centre. It runs through the summer months in both Preeceville and Sturgis and is geared towards children aged five to 12 years old. This year the program worked around the theme of animals.
鈥淪omething new this year was the addition of sessions talking about a different emotion with the children in attendance at each session,鈥� said Kosheluk.
The Come Grow with Me program geared towards pre-school children encourages interaction with parents for a fun morning at the Preeceville Library, she said. The program is scheduled to start up in the fall.
鈥淥ur Facebook page has become increasingly popular with many individuals turning to it for valuable information on programs and upcoming events,鈥� said Kosheluk.
