It’s been a busy last several weeks in the Shuswap, and I’m excited to give you all a brief update on recent happenings within our community.
As your Member of the Legislative Assembly, one of the greatest parts of my job is spending time in communities throughout the Shuswap to take part in events and meet the people who I proudly represent.
In June, I was very pleased to announce that five Shuswap and North Okanagan non-profit societies had benefited from gaming grants totalling a whopping $157,200. A list of these non-profits and the amount granted to them is below:
• Interior Provincial Exhibition, Armstrong: $100,000
• Shuswap Minor Football Association, Salmon Arm: $13,900
• Shuswap District Arts Council, Salmon Arm: $25,800
• Shuswap Association of Writers, Salmon Arm: $3,500
• Arts Council of the South Shuswap Society, Tappen: $14,000
I am excited to see how these new resources are put to use.
I would encourage all non-profits in the Shuswap area to learn more about how the province’s Community Gaming Grants program may help benefit their organization. In fact, I recently hosted a seminar advising local non-profits on how to best approach the Gaming Grant application process and look forward to putting on more of these events in the future.
In late May I had the distinct pleasure of acting as a Reviewing Officer for the 1787 Rocky Mountain Rangers Army Cadet Corps in Salmon Arm and also attended the 222 Shuswap Squadron Air Cadet Corps’ Annual Review, both of which were recipients of gaming grants from the province. These events reminded me of what fantastic programs the Royal Canadian Army and Air Cadet Corps are and the great opportunities they give to our youth to develop their leadership skills, explore the outdoors and better serve their community.
Next, I had the privilege of attending the star-studded premiere of Blackway, a thriller starring Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles and Ray Liotta, which was shot and debuted in Enderby. The movie’s production was a big boost to local businesses and workers, and shows that British Columbia’s film industry continues to boom as studios from around the world flock here to take advantage of our great local talent and beautiful scenery.
Finally, I had the opportunity to lead an announcement in Vancouver hosted by BC Transplant, celebrating the registration of B.C.’s one millionth registered organ donor.
I have been advocating for increased organ donor awareness and registration for the past three years. I encourage you to visit www.transplant.bc.ca, and register your decision.
These are just some highlights of all the events I had the pleasure of participating in over the past couple of weeks.
This week, I am pleased to be back in Victoria discussing the important issues affecting our communities and our province. I look forward to providing all of you with another update in the near future detailing the important discussions taking place.
- Greg Kyllo, Shuswap MLA