The Sturgis, Preeceville and Endeavour Family Resource Centre celebrated its 20th year of challenges and success on November 22 and 23.
The celebrations focused on a come-and-go event that featured refreshments and sweets at both the Sturgis Library on November 22 and Preeceville Library on November 23.
"The Centre provides outreach support for children, families and the wider communities in the Sturgis, Preeceville and Endeavour areas," said Karolyn Kosheluk, co-ordinator.
All programming offered is free and accessible to all families. The mission statement of the Centre states: "A community that responds to the needs of children, youth and families; works together to ensure that there are adequate resources; is aware of the resources and is able to access these resources.”
"The programs organized by the Centre are all funded by grants but it is the funding that has been cut drastically," said Miles Russell, chairperson for the Family Resource Centre. "Since the core funding has been cut, we have been challenged to find money for the program co-ordinator who facilitates the programs.
“A lot of work we do goes unnoticed,” Russell said. “We provide services for children, getting them the help they need and they are looking for. Despite the cuts, we have never stopped functioning.
"The success of the Family Resource Centre is that we offer more programming and have an increase in people looking for assistance,” he said. “We look at each community and the needs that are required.”
Some of the programs that the Family Resource Centre has administered are: the Breakfast Cafe in the Preeceville School; Come Grow With Me; Summer Fun; Filling the Gap; Christmas hampers; early childhood development; senior and junior leadership classes; Preeceville School garden; family yoga and infant massage; literacy events and resource centres in the libraries.
