The Hope Mountain Centre (HMC) received $17,500 in Community Gaming Grant money from the provincial government in 2021, and put the funding to good use.
HMC executive director Kristine Krynitzki said $8,500 was directed to the Young Stewards Education Program. According to the HMC website, this program gives kids a stronger connection to the outdoors, improves their physical and emotional health and guides them to become better stewards of local ecosystems.
HMC’s Citizen Science benefited from $5,000, which helps with the Grizzly Bear Reporting program and two annual Bird Blitz events, one of the province’s longest-running bird counts at 30-plus years.
HMC directed the final $4,000 to its Black Bear Committee, which promotes the co-existence of black bears and other wildlife with Hope residents through community involvement, education and cooperation.
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“This funding is so important to Hope Mountain Centre, especially in these last couple of years through the pandemic when funding sources grew scarce,” Krynitzki said. “The funding covers three of our core program areas that hundreds of people, partners, and wildlife species count on. Each of these programs plays a very important role within the community and region.”
More than 250 not-for-profit organizations throughout B.C. received funding to support environmental conservation and public safety programs.
“This funding helps not-for-profit organizations continue to provide vital programming and supports to people so they can thrive and feel safer and healthier in their communities,” said Josie Osborne, B.C.’s Minister of Municipal Affairs. “We are supporting local organizations that are committed to a wide range of activities that enhance the environment and improve public safety, including search and rescue, restorative justice, conservation and wildlife preservation, and more.”
The province is providing approximately $4.9 million to 135 environmental-sector organizations this year. These programs help people to learn about, connect with and enhance and protect the environment.
See hopemountain.org for more info.