Katie's Cottage is one of 10 organizations across Manitoba and Saskatchewan that is getting a financial boost through Red River Mutual's Spruce Up Your Story program.
The funding, with the amount to be determined at a later date, will be directed towards outdoor beautification efforts at the home away from home located near Boundary Trails Hospital. Guests enjoy the space outside to find peace, a break from the hospital, and refresh day or night. The outside project will improve the beauty of the space and make it easier for the community to upkeep.
The Spruce Up Your Story program is in its third year, and the 10 projects receiving funding in 2022 were selected out of nearly 150 submissions from across the Prairies. In total, Red River Mutual is contributing $150,000 this year. Since its inception, the campaign has provided over $450,000 to support 27 different communities.
“We’re in our third year of this initiative now and it has grown and adapted with our communities, but our focus on people and their stories remains the same,” says President and CEO of Red River Mutual, Brian Esau. “We’re grateful to further connect with the places where we do business and make a positive impact in a way that is meaningful for people who call those places home.”
The submitted renovation or beautification projects were evaluated based on community use and connection, their commitment to sustainability, and connections to a local insurance brokerage.
This year’s ten winners are split evenly between Manitoba and Saskatchewan with projects that include: a youth space in North Battleford, Saskatchewan that needs to fix up their basement space to offer more programming for more youth in need; a curling club in Pinawa, Manitoba that requires new lighting to keep the building functional and provide necessary jobs and recreation for the town; a cultural centre in Big River,
Saskatchewan that needs some support to put the finishing touches on their recent window and door upgrades and make sure their hard work doesn’t go to waste; and a library in Teulon, Manitoba that wants to beautify their outdoor space to accommodate more programming all year round.
Click here for the full list of 2022 winners.