The Bowen Island Community Foundation has always seen sustainability of local organizations as its main priority. To that end, the foundation established a major grant program in 2011. According to Joyce Ganong, chair of the foundation, "there were a number of organizations that fit our criteria for funding but with limited funds we could only support one major initiative and we chose the re-structuring of Family Place. That said, we made a commitment to the other applicants that we would try to find ways to help them achieve their goals. Much to our delight, a foundation donor came forward at the end of 2011 and asked for funding ideas. That conversation resulted in a $5,000 donation to the Bowen Island Community Foundation, which has been allocated to one of our very worthy 2011 applicants Tir-na-nOg.
Tir-na-nOg Theatre School moved into its home on Rivendell Drive seven years ago and although the exterior of the building was beautifully finished, the interior needed a lot of work to make it a functioning theatre school and performance space. Much of that work has been done over the years with volunteers, and it is now a very usable space. Although a kitchen was roughed in on the original plans, there has not been the funding available to install this amenity. This foundation grant will help Tir-na-nOg install their much-needed kitchen.
As the 25th anniversary of Tir-na-nOg approaches, the foundation is proud to support an organization that continues to teach our young people the fundamentals of theatre arts and has, just in the past year, hosted 79 performances, 40 of which were community events separate from the theatre school's performances.
The addition of the kitchen will increase the school's fundraising capacity and move the Theatre School closer to its goal of enhancing the interior functionality necessary to its work in arts education and enhancing the facility's capability to meet the performance needs of the community at large.
If there are volunteers in the community who are interested in helping with this project, your efforts will be embraced with enthusiasm. Tir-na-nOg is a registered charity, authorized to issue donation receipts for tax purposes. Contact Jack or Julie at www.tirnanogtheatreschool.org, or by phone at 604 947 9507.
JOYCE GANONG
B. I. Community Foundation
