More than $16,000 of seed money was planted among seven
groups in the greater Sussex area to help the region grow. Residents from
seniors to children will benefit from these investments in their health,
safety and recreation over the next several months.
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The Belleisle Community Pool Association now has $2,500 more to help
with the refinishing of the pool and pool deck. The popular community
gathering spot is being refurbished, making it a welcome place to cool
down in the upcoming hot weather.
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There will soon be more than 40 new audiobooks on compact disc at the
Sussex Regional Library, thanks to the $1,543 funding the library board
received. The new technology allows seniors and the vision-impaired to
enjoy a wide variety of titles as the facility switches its collection
from tapes to the more widely used CD format.
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There will soon be new accommodations for the young people
participating in the Portage Atlantic drug recovery program at Cassidy
Lake. The $2,000 donated by the SACF will assist with updating the boys’
dormitory in the first stage of its construction campaign. The 50-bed
facility helps Atlantic teens between the ages of 14 and 21 deal with
their addiction to drugs and/or alcohol.
The smiles are a little brighter today among the children with
orthodontic challenges served by The Little Jackie Fund. Founder Ruby Gray
offered a heartfelt thank you for the $1,500 the foundation gave her
group. Eighteen Sussex children from single mother families or those on
social assistance have been helped since the Fund was launched in 2000.
Three are now three undergoing treatment, while two others await their
turn.
Local children are among other big recipients at this year’s grant
presentation. The widely acclaimed Roots of Empathy program will be making
further inroads in area classrooms, thanks in part to the $3,000 received
from SACF. Students from kindergarten to Grade 8 learn the non-verbal
communication of the babies and infants who visit their schools monthly,
thereby learning how to identify how people of all ages have common needs
and wants. The grant funds will help train one of the instructors who
accompany the child/parent during school visits, as well as provide
support material.
This idea of early intervention is carried further in the Second Step
and Steps to Respect Program. With the $2,000 SACF funds to pay for a
classroom study, the goal among School District 6 leaders is to prevent
bullying among their kindergarten to Grade 5 students at Sussex Elementary
School.
Children and parents preparing for the important step of starting
school will know more about what to expect when they enter school for the
first time under the Welcome to Kindergarten program. More than 300 Sussex
area families are expected to benefit from the information supplied
through the Learning Partnership. The $3,500 backing provided by the SACF
will ensure this program that is gaining rave reviews in Western Canada
will give parents a better understanding of how their children learn,
helping the young people get the most from their time in the classroom.
