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Local seniors such as (from left) Rosa Barkley, Anne Dent, Ann McCann (sitting), Kay Waltz, Audrie Maki, and Dorothy Fee are upset after learning that BC Gaming grants for the Langley Seniors Resource Centre have been cut from last year’s level.
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Gambling grants fall short
Langley charities are pinching pennies as provincial gaming grants come in thinner than in recent years. by Matthew Claxton mclaxton@langleyadvance.com
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There’s less money than expected for many local charities that pin their hopes on provincial gaming grants, and the groups are disappointed with the change. On Tuesday, Langley MLA Mary Polak and Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman announced $727,440 is being distributed to a long list of local non-profit groups. However, many are seeing less money than in past years, and much less than they had hoped for. The Langley Seniors Resource Centre received $97,500 in the most recent round, the bulk of $120,000 it will receive from gaming this year. But that’s down from about $160,000 in gaming money the society received in 2009, said director of programs Barb Stack. “It definitely has had an impact,” Stack said. “We’re not sure what we’re going to be doing at this point.” At the centre, senior Audrie Maki vented her frustration on B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell. “He’s cutting us to the bone already,” she said. Rosa Barkley is worried about what the cuts will do to the centre. “We’re all seniors, here,” she said. “If they don’t get the money, what are they going to do?”
The reduced grant comes in the wake of between $30,000 and $35,000, Brunner said. an $86,000 cut in Fraser Health Authority But because grants are uncertain, the funding for the centre last year. museum treats them as a bonus when it The society’s board is meeting this week to receives one. “We didn’t build it into the discuss how to deal with the shortfall. budget,” Brunner said. The Langley Hospice Society, which offers Even those asking for small grants were aid to the terminally ill and their families, is not necessarily happy with what they got. also seeing less money than last year. The B.C. Farm Machinery and Agriculture “I actually anticipated [the grant] being Museum asked for $3,300 to pay half the reduced,” said Sandra Castle, the society’s cost of some electrical work. executive director. They got $1,665, said Last year, the hospice socimuseum president Grace ety received $115,000 in gamMuller. ing grants, but this year it will “I’m disappointed. We get just $100,000. didn’t ask for a lot,” Muller A cap at that level will said. cover most charities receiving She compared the grant gaming money, Castle said. to 2008, when the museum www.langleyadvance.com “We make up the difference asked for $9,900 for a roofing through our thrift store,” she project and received $9,000. said. “At least we hope to do so.” In 2007, the society received $38,000 for a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Langley expects variety of renovations, again close to what its grants to go down from about $145,000 they had requested. last year to $122,000 this year, said execuMuller doesn’t know why they are now tive director Mary Reeves. getting just half what they had asked for. “We are still hopeful that we can pick up Not every group is getting drastically somewhere else,” Reeves said, “but having less. The Valley Therapeutic Equestrian said that, everyone else is cutting back.” Association is apparently getting a bit more At the Canadian Museum of Flight at this quarter from gaming grants, but may get Langley Regional Airport, museum manager a little less from other government sources. Terry Brunner was disappointed with their There have been changes to the grants $18,000 grant. program this year, said Coleman, cabinet The museum had asked for $80,000 this minister in charge of gaming. year, to help fund school programs. “We have more applicants for grants than “Basically, it takes away from the kids, is we ever have in the past,” Coleman said, what it does,” he said. pointing to the recent recession as an underWhen the museum has requested fundlying cause. continued on page A13… ing in recent years, it has typically received
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