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RBC Foundation supports West Kootenay Take a Hike program

RBC Foundation donated $25,000 to the Take a Hike Foundation.
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From left: Tracy Towns (RBC Financial Planner); Jody Montpellier (RBC Business Account Manager); Zarchi Shein (RBC Nelson Branch Manager); Brennan Towns (RBC Financial Advisor); Karen Waldal (TAH West Kootenay Community Engagement Manager); Warren Scown (RBC Mortgage Specialist). (Submitted)

RBC Foundation’s donation of $25,000 to the Take a Hike Foundation will help vulnerable youth complete high school from three school districts in BC (Vancouver, Burnaby and Kootenay-Columbia).

Thanks to the generosity of the RBC Foundation and the people who work at RBC, youth will be able to participate and be a part of Take a Hike’s unique and successful combination of academics, adventure-based learning, counselling and community involvement.

As part of their commitment to making a difference for youth, employees from RBC have been volunteering since Take a Hike started in 2000.

“We are grateful to the RBC Foundation for their support, and look forward to connecting our students with the staff from RBC Nelson. Volunteering together helps them to build important social connections and personal support networks, and highlights the importance of giving back to others”, said Karen Waldal, Take a Hike’s West Kootenay Community Engagement Manager.

Take a Hike is an innovative education program that engages at-risk youth through a unique combination of academics, adventure-based learning, therapy and community involvement. Now in its 5th year in the West Kootenays, we operate in partnership with School District #20 (Kootenay-Columbia) and accept applications from students throughout the West Kootenay region.

The team behind Take a Hike includes teachers, youth and family workers, clinical therapists, adventure-based learning specialists and volunteers. The program fosters the optimal environment for students to experience success and provides students with the opportunity to graduate, rebuild relationships and develop life skills. Take a Hike students are active and contributing community volunteers, participating in many community initiatives throughout our region.