It's one of the most memorable years to date for the Community Foundation of Swan Valley.
This year marks 20 years of existence. Donna Martin became the executive director in 2017, and since then, the Foundation has doubled in size.
What does that mean? It's the total amount of endowed funds on record at the Winnipeg Foundation. They have surpassed $3 million and are now driving towards $5 million, which Martin says is a massive feat.
"I know that some of the founders were still in existence when I started my role as executive director," said Martin. "I was able to gain a fair bit of history. Now, most of them have passed away, and they would have never imagined where we would be 20 years after they started the Foundation in 2005."
While small in size, Martin says so many incredible people step up to volunteer. Volunteering is the heartbeat of the Swan Valley, and the Community Foundation of Swan Valley takes great pride in recognizing those who step up to help build a better life in the area.
"Oh, absolutely, the Swan Valley is huge for volunteerism," added Martin. "We're small, so we have to rely on volunteers. Many organizations lack the necessary manpower to carry out projects or events. We totally rely on volunteers, every year, and every day."
The Foundation is now accepting applications for the Heart of the Community Award. Do you know someone who goes above and beyond to make the Swan Valley a better place? If so, you can nominate a deserving community member. The recipient will be given $3,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.
The winner will be announced on December 4 at the Foundation's Annual General Meeting—the deadline to nominate is Friday, October 31, at 5:00 p.m.
"We want anyone who's done impactful things for their group or organization to put their name forward, or get nominated," continued Martin. "We have some criteria, but we're going to look at the overall person. Then, if it's tied between two people, it might be the project they want to donate to that could be the deciding factor. We feel it's going to be hard to come up with one person as we have so many incredible people here."
Martin takes great pride in her duties as executive director and looks forward to the Annual General Meeting, when the foundation will award the Heart of the Community Award and funds totalling roughly $250,000 to various community organizations.
"It's amazing," ended Martin. "It's amazing to have a job where you get to do many things you like, as far as administrative work, and make an impact in the community. It's the best job around."
The Community Foundation of Swan Valley has been making a difference since 2005.
