Northern Neighbours Community Foundation Inc.
Grant Recipients
2024 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Creighton Community Centre provides are residents and people coming into the area with a place to hold functions. They serve youth to seniors groups at the Centre. Weddings, funerals, yoga classes, birthday parties, educational classes, elections, karate classes, craft sales and all types of events are held at the Centre. It is also used as an Emergency Centre for Creighton Community School as well as mining preparation classes for the Saskatchewan Indian Institute.
Northern Village of Denare Beach: For beautiful sunset views or simply finding a quiet spot among the towering pine trees of the Canadian Shield, the Northern Village of Denare Beach has some beautiful trails for you to explore. Their project is to upgrade the trail system, extending the user ages from children to senior nature lovers, who can utilize the trail system safely. Funds will be used to upgrade their trail groomer and brush cutter to maintain the current trails and construct new ones for your enjoyment.
Brentwood Community Rink/Town of Snow Lake -
The Brentwood Community Rink is the last outdoor skating rink in Snow Lake that is owned by the town and run solely by volunteers. Originally built in the 1960's, rebuilt around 1980's and then again in 2021 all by volunteers and donations.
In 2021, they redid the entire rink from the ground up and added in a new heated warm up shack. Those huge renovations depleted the funds that were raised, leaving no funds to construct the heated watershed.
Over the past fifteen years, kids have come to skate, play hockey and hang out with friends. Families bring the kids to learn to skate and just enjoy the time together on the ice. There is rarely a day that we do not see someone making use of the rink.
With the new watershed, we can see the last outdoor rink in Snow Lake stay alive and well for generations to come.
Cranberry Portage Tourism Working Group
The Cranberry Portage Tourism Working Group was established to provide a kick-start to tourism and accompanying economic development, in a community that is rich in history and coveted natural resources but has seen better days. We want to bring out the best in Cranberry Portage and share it.
We need to entice people into our community and share with them what opportunities exist for visitors. To do that, they require marketing materials that can promote all aspects of the community including the Artisan Markets which celebrate local artists, creators and makers; the heritage and culture of their longstanding community; access to wilderness experiences for healthy eco-tourism, recreation and sport; events and activities that create a sense of pride in their residents and enjoyment by the visitors.
They want to do this professionally in a international way and are working with other organizations to each take a share of the responsibility and enhance their products. This includes the Artisan Markets, the Cranberry Portage Heritage Museum, Home Routes Committee and Cranberry Portage Hike and Ski Trail Association with more groups coming into the fold on a regular basis. Not will this initiative benefit every organization and business in town, but they want your firsthand involvement in making a difference in how "outsiders" perceive Cranberry Portage.
This marketing and signage project is an important first step in setting the stage for what is to come.
Elders and Knowledge Keepers Committee - Hapnot Collegiate
The Elders and Knowledge Keepers Committee helps facilitate and create opportunities for students to learn about Indigenous Culture, traditional teachings and our history. Connected to the Mamahtawisiwin Education Policy Framework and committed to projects that support Truth and Reconciliation.
The committee will create a safe and welcoming space within Hapnot Collegiate, where students, teachers, Elders and Knowledge Keepers along with family members can come together to gather, learn, teach, heal and connect. this welcoming space will function as a bridge between western and Indigenous cultures and our school and community.
Cranberry Portage Artisan Market
The Artisan Market in Cranberry Portage is a volunteer-run community activity that provides an opportunity for Cranberry Portage and area artists, crafters and makers to promote and sell their products to visitors and tourists over the summer. This market is becoming the cornerstone in their plans to develop Cranberry Portage as a tourist destination, encouraging more visitors to town to contribute to the community's economic recovery.
The market is becoming a focal point for residents and visitors alike to celebrate what Cranberry Portage has to offer. These enhancements are meant to be multifaceted, highlighting and honoring local artists, helping create a celebratory and interesting ambience for vendors and visitors alike, and to help promote the high quality and professionalism of this market.
Over 1700 people attended the market last year and they expect at least that number in 2024. Their primary goal is to bring visitors to Cranberry Portage.
With construction of a permanent wooden gazebo, locally crafted plasma cut metal art sculptures, promotional banners and flags, and the installation of a traditional Cree Tippi to honor Irwin Head, international Sculptor from Cranberry Portage, this will increase awareness, encouraging more Indigenous Artists to engage with the market and other initiatives.
The Flin Flon Friendship Centre began providing services in our community in 1966. They are a community based charitable organization accessing opportunities to enhance quality of life, support self – determined activities and endorse cultural identity and preservation.
Their project this year is to assist with costs at “The Shelter Program.” This program provides a means for individuals who are unsheltered to access a safe space and remove themselves from the elements of the weather.
Association for Community Living, also known as the Vocational Training Centre
The Vocational Training Centre is an organization dedicated to the full inclusion of persons of all ages who live with an intellectual disability. They run a secondhand store and provide personal programming, both educational and recreational. The VTC accessibility ramp is old and in need of repair. Their goal is to ensure members of the community, along with individuals with physical disabilities are able to safely enter and exit the building while attending the day program or shopping at the secondhand store. The grant will be used to update the ramp, providing safe accessibility for everyone.
Cranberry Portage Heritage Museum
Their goals is to capture and convert oral histories to text and digital recordings. Cranberry Portage residents with long-standing connections will be interviewed and recorded. These histories will be added to the museum's collection as well as utilized within exhibits.
They will digitally capture stories on the lineage of artifacts, people, and history of the museum and the community from the Curator, who, with other volunteers, established the museum in 2012.
Once digitized, the history and stories will be archived and captured forever, for the enjoyment of all visitors and potentially attracting more youth to the museum. This will also allow guests to interact with displays and hear original stories as shared over the years by the Curator and others.
Denare Beach Recreation Board
Funds will be used for a sound system upgrade, which will benefit everyone who uses the Community Centre. The sound system will be used for all events, dances, fall suppers, the winter festival and for hall rentals.
Northern Growing Abilities
The goal is to upgrade their existing electrical service to a 200-amp service, without tripping breakers, and add additional plugins to run appliances for the adult and youth program. Camera installation will provide better security and safety for the participants and staff who go out to the community garden at the building after hours.
Lords Bounty Food Bank
The Lords Bounty Food Bank has been serving our community for 30+ years. Aside from food assistance, they offer ID clinics, tax preparation, vaccinations, workplace advisors and mental health nurses. The Food Bank building was constructed in 1949 and serves hundreds of people from Flin Flon and surrounding areas. The current flooring is in disrepair and the health and safety of clients and volunteers, has made replacement of the flooring a priority. When complete, we hope the new floors will bring peace of mind to their volunteers and clients.
Rotary Club of Flin Flon - Senior Housing
The Rotary Senior Housing is a 55 plus housing complex with 19 suites. It was established in the 60s and serves as one of the few Senior Housing apartments in our area. They have been working diligently to renovate and upgrade the buildings as they are aging and in need of repair. This is the last step in refinishing all the roof repairs providing proper drainage for the five buildings. Completion of the roof/drainage problems and make all areas safe accessible home for all the residents.
The Denare Beach Volunteer Fire Department
Services the Denare Beach area as well as assisting Flin Flon and Creighton Fire Departments. They are trained in Search and Rescue as well as Fire and Ice Rescue. They will be using their funds to purchase a Ice Rescue Inflatable Boat. The acquisition of an Ice Rescue Inflatable Boat will help increase the safety and effectiveness of cold-water rescue efforts in the surrounding areas.
This is a rapid deployment ice rescue boat. Compact and can be stored on the fire truck, yet large enough and sturdy enough for two firefighters and patient/victim. Inflates quickly and is used to quickly reach and retrieve someone who has fallen through the ice. Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach as well as anyone who may vacation in these areas will benefit as they venture out onto the ice.
Community Arts - Creighton Community School
Purchase of a cutting machine and heat press will serve the life skills class, both the Senior and Junior SLC Class, Graphic Design Arts Class, by allowing them to decorate the school for seasonal celebrations, creating participation rewards and gifts for kids to purchase. The cutting machine and heat press will also benefit multi-purpose groups and the community.
Flin Flon Bombers - Whitney Forum
The Whitney Forum serves the Flin Flon Bombers, PBCN Selects, Flin Flon Minor Hockey, Skating Club as well as many public events are held at the Forum. The organization offers an opportunity for young athletes to advance to post-secondary education through athletic scholarships. The bombers are a focal point of the city. The sound system is over twenty years old and has reached the point where it no longer provides adequate sound for any of the user groups associated with the Whitney Forum. Funds will be used to upgrade the sound system.
Nemihitowok Hoop Troupe with Granny Willow
Granny Willow combines hoop dance teaching, the Circle of Life teaching, the seven sacred teachings, storytelling, as well as cultural teachings through puppets, books, in person and via YouTube. Indigenous culture is rich and vast. Many people are not aware of the beautiful teachings within the culture.
The Hoop Dance is considered a healing dance, and the drum holds all of the songs. The drum is the heartbeat of mother earth, and the dancers learn to dance by listening to the beat of the drum.
Teachings evolve into storytelling and puppeteering as well as the Hoop Dance. The stories that are told help give the children the opportunity to make better decisions in their lives and as they walk their journey.
Combined with the Seven Sacred Teachings of living a good life, the drums will be a positive addition to the participants.
Her funding will go towards the purchase of drums and supplies for the Troupe.
Flin Flon Indigenous Reconciliation Committee - Memorial Art Installation
The Memorial Art Project is to fund an art installation to answer the Call for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a collaborative endeavor between the Indigenous Reconciliation Committee, Elder Margaret Head Steppan and award winning multi-medium artist Doug Dymtriw. The artwork will be permanently mounted in Flin Flon Pioneer Square located across from City Hall. the design will be made of copper, including a fire (orange lighting - symbolic color of Every Child Matters) and a water feature.
A community event, date to be determined, will be held for the opening of the art installation and for community evaluation.
Flin Flon Aboriginal Centre Inc.
The Friendship Centre has been pursuing methods to improve ventilation and energy efficiency for the second level of their facility, accommodating eleven rental congregate style transitional housing room units. The current unit has reached its life expectancy, and they have now have the opportunity to improve energy utilization, with the purchase of a new heater bank and maintaining a healthy air environment, while lowering costs.
The Flin Flon Ski Club
Was founded in 1956 and its purpose is to develop and maintain a facility and ski trails that will provide an opportunity for community members to safely participate in the healthy lifetime activity of cross-country skiing. Through a joint project with the City of Flin Flon, the construction of a pergola and platform deck along the trail system, strategically placed to offer breathtaking views of the city, starlit skies, and the northern lights. This project aims to be a year round gathering hub, tourist destination and a place for locals to enjoy. Scenic Vista can also host a range of activities from educational programs to small events fostering a vibrant hosting economy for tourism.
Hapnot Collegiate Athletic Dept
Hapnot Collegiate is extremely excited to have a new teacher and coach from Winnipeg join the community last year. Mr. Erik Rogalka, is eager to bring the game of outdoor Field Lacrosse to Flin Flon and the North by starting a team of youth, between the ages of 14 - 18 years of age. Coach Rogalka will introduce the students and the community to the history of the game created by our country's early Indigenous peoples. The addition of Lacrosse is to open a sport of cultural history here in Northern Manitoba to a team of 15-25 youth, with a goal to have a team co-ed, inclusive to BIPOC students ages 14-18.
Creighton Recreation/Town of Creighton
The purpose of Creighton Recreation is to provide sport, recreation and cultural activities to the community at low or no cost. The Creighton Sportex is a great facility, well used throughout the entire year. The recreation department will be upgrading the doors to be more accessible, allowing a safer way to enter for those with limited mobility, for families managing small children while trying to haul in hockey bags and strollers into the facility. This upgrade will benefit the region when hosting events for people from all over Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Creighton Community School - Outdoor Education Program
Outdoor Education improves student's cognitive performance, reduces sedentary behavior, and fosters a love and appreciation for the outdoors.
Improving the outdoor program, by replacing old canoeing equipment and purchasing additional safety equipment to bring students on canoe trips is essential. First aid kits, floating ropes and whistles need to be purchased to meet safety guidelines. Replacement of the aluminum canoes, with canoes that are lighter and will provide more stability.
