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Sanctuary faces financial shortfall, online raffle launched

Tickets for the 50-50 are available online at: sanctuary.rafflenexus.com.
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Generation to Generation Society is dependent on community donations for Sanctuary funding. As a financial shortfall looms, the society is fundraising through an online raffle at: sanctuary.rafflenexus.com. Photo: Submitted

Sanctuary Pre-teen Centre, in downtown Trail, is struggling financially despite receiving a grant from the School’s Out program through United Way BC.

Generation to Generation Society, the nonprofit that runs Sanctuary, shares that School’s Out funding must last until the end of June 2023, however; a shortfall is looming.

“While it is covering some staff hours there are other staff hours that are in jeopardy,” the society explains. “Without additional funds we may not make it until the end of the year.”

The society points to several reasons for their monetary woes.

Those include, but aren’t limited to, the pandemic causing the loss of $25,000 annually because the society had to stop its recycle program. Of note, until the pandemic hit, the community would drop off bags and bags of recyclables to the regional landfill in Trail that volunteers, in turn, would sort and return to the bottle depot.

To date, the society has not been able to replace that income.

Furthermore, this year the society saw its property taxes increase 47 per cent and utilities costs increase by almost 12 per cent.

“In addition, we endeavor to provide our children with nutritious food and those costs have increased,” the society notes. “Our staffing costs are the bare minimum as set out by our IHA (Interior Health Authority) license. Unfortunately, our income cannot keep pace with our costs.”

To try to replace some of the income lost through COVID, the society has started a 50-50 online raffle through Raffle Nexus.

Should it prove successful, raffle proceeds will bring much needed income to end the year.

Tickets for the 50-50 are available online at: sanctuary.rafflenexus.com.

Raffle players must be 19 years of age or older and in the Province of BC when placing an order.

A single ticket is $10; three-ticket packs are $25; and a six-ticket pack is $50.

Players must provide their name, address and email. Payment is by credit card. Tickets can be printed or saved as a pdf.

At press time the jackpot was already over $600.

The draw date is Friday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m.

Questions? Until Dec. 15, visit Sanctuary weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., located at 1705 Bay Ave.

For more information on how to help or have someone speak to your group about Sanctuary, call 250.368.6142 or email: sanctuarytrail@shaw.ca.

Sanctuary Pre-teen Centre, operating in the Trail community since 1998, provides school age children, eight to 12 years, with a safe and fun afterschool environment.

There is no charge to families for any Sanctuary program.

Generation to Generation Society is dependent on community donations for Sanctuary funding.

Read more: Trail after school centre offering life skills program

Read more: Pandemic stretches resources thin for Trail after-school program

Read more: Help needed to sort, return recyclables for free afterschool program (2019)

Read more: Trail business keeps doors open for free childcare this summer (2018)



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Sheri Regnier

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