ouncil was asked to endorse a number of local initiatives, including ratifying a letter of support for Community Links for their application to co-host the 2015 Seniors’ Week provincial launch event in June.
Alderman Fred Burley said it’s important to support these kinds of community groups “because it brings recognition to them, it brings awareness to them if they’re fundraising and it’s a community initiative that we’ve set up based on them meeting certain criteria.”
Seniors Week is held the first week of June each year and is organized by the Government of Alberta and the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta. Funding in the amount of $7,500 is provided to an organization in one community to host the launch event. Council unanimously endorsed supporting Community Links application.
Letter of support
Council was also asked to provide a letter of support to Nose Creek Elementary School for their application for a Community Initiatives Grant to support a project to enhance and grow their Learning Commons.
The school’s Learning Commons is a place for students and teachers to meet and connect, and includes workstations equipped with software that supports a variety of learning resources. The school has applied for $75,000 in grant funding to match the $75,000 they have already raised through other sources. Council unanimously supported the school’s application for funding.
Kinsmen Day
The Airdrie Kinsmen Club asked council to proclaim Feb. 20 as Kinsmen Day in Airdrie. Kinsmen and Kinettes Week takes place throughout Canada from Feb. 15 to 21. Kin Canada, celebrating 95 years in 2015, is an association of service clubs that work to help the local community.
The Airdrie Kinsmen Club has been in existence since 2001 and raises money for Cystic Fibrosis as well as for local organizations like Community Links.
Council unanimously voted to proclaim Feb. 20 Kinsmen Day and Feb. 15 to 21 as Kinsmen Week in Airdrie.
Freedom to read
The Marigold Library Systems, of which Airdrie Public Library is a member, asked council to proclaim Feb. 22 to 28 Freedom to Read Week in Airdrie.
During Freedom to Read Week, libraries across Canada feature books that have at some point been banned or challenged. Some notable books on the list put out by the Book and Periodical Council of Canada which runs Freedom to Read Week include the Harry Potter series of books, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Ritchler.
Council unanimously approved proclaiming Feb. 22 to 28 Freedom to Read Week in Airdrie.
