Five grants have come pouring in to the Cranbrook/Kimberley area from the provincial government to help fund local events over the next year.
The grants, coming from EventHost BC, are part of a program designed to encourage and support small-scale, volunteer-driven events that build community spirit, volunteer capacity and promote out-of-town visitation.
In total, roughly $250,000 in grants, with up to $5,000 being awarded per event have now been distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible organizations. Almost $42,000 has been distributed to each of the six tourism regions: Cariboo-Chilcotin-Coast, Northern B.C., Kootenay-Rockies, Thompson-Okanagan, Vancouver Island and Vancouver-Coast-Mountains.
Locally, grants were awarded to:
•The Cranbrook and District Arts Council received $5,000 to host Cranbrook Welcomes Ethan Russell, an internationally renown photographer, on Oct. 8, 2015.
• The Sam Steele Society was awarded $5,000 to go towards Sam Steele Days next June 2016.
•The Kimberley Gymnastics Society was awarded $5,000 to host the Kimberley Gymnastics Coconut Cup on May 28, 2016.
•The Kimberley Arts Council was awarded $5,000 to go towards the Kimberley First Saturday Oktoberfest on Oct. 3, 2015.
•Kimberley Nordic Club received $1,206.67 to host the Kootenay Cup on Feb. 13, 2016.
More than 400 applications were received, representing a wide variety of community-based activities including sporting events, festivals, theatrical and musical productions, celebrations of holidays, local landmarks, anniversary milestones, and events to raise awareness of specific causes.