Stovel Park in Melfort came in first place in the 2018 Challenge 4 Communities. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW Staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

Challenge 4 Communities

Community Futures NewSask looks to award funds to area projects

Nov 4, 2019 | 11:35 AM

Community Futures Newsask is in the midst of its Challenge for Communities.

The organization gives out $6,500 in cash to organizations who have submitted an essay on a project they are fundraising.

Chief Executive Office with Community Futures Taylor Watt said there are five projects in the voting stage until Nov. 25.

“First place is $3.000, second is $2,000, third is $1,000 and fourth place is $500,” Watt said.

The four-week voting challenge began on Nov. 1. Next the groups will create a Facebook page for their project as well as a promotional video, and a radio ad.

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The projects include Little Explorer’s Backyard day care in Tisdale who would like to add to their playground and complete the final stage. In the spring, the daycare purchased the Noah’s Ark play set, added decking at the front and back along with gazebo and furniture. Monkey bars underneath a newly added bridge will be installed in the spring of 2020.

Northeast Christian Academy is also looking at playground equipment for their students to use at recess during the school day. Currently, the students use the green space behind the legion building or are bused to other playgrounds in Melfort. The academy has been fundraising and have roughly $8,000 raised. The project costs $50,000.

The Melfort Youth Evolution – Get Rolling Retro project is looking to get equipment including roller blades to use at the new skatepark at Spruce Haven.

The Safe Haven project at the Northeast SPCA would like to obtain funds in order to take in animals when there is domestic violence.

The Random Acts of Kindness project from James Smith Cree Nation is a campaign in which to spread love and kindness in the community. The project is to have youth and the community enter project proposals to a Facebook Page. The top three projects will receive the prize money.

“We are really excited about these different projects that are on the go right now,” Watt said.

He said the organization is also excited to give out the prize money and give back to the area.

“This is our eighth time holding this,” Watt said. “At the end of the day we want to make sure we give back.”

Community Futures Newsask is a non-profit organization so any revenue that comes in is given back into the community and surrounding area according to Watt.

“It’s always very nice to see when you can provide equipment or resources for the youth in our local communities,” Watt said.

The public is purely responsible for deciding winners in the voting portion of the challenge so Watt is encouraging people to choose a project and vote every 24 hours for it.

The challenge is laid out over four weeks with four challenges, four winners, and four prizes.

In 2018, the grand prize went to the Friends of Stovel Park for the revitalization of the park on Stovel Avenue West in Melfort. Second place went to the Little Explorer’s Daycare, the Kelvington Project play came in third and the Tisdale Dance Centre placed fourth.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser