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It’s time to break out a new calendar, and we wonder where the year has gone. It has been a busy year for the Ladysmith Community Fund.

We were sorry to receive the resignation of director Laurel Lawson. Laurel stepped down from active involvement for personal reasons but stays in touch with us. We wish her well, and hope we may again draw on her considerable experience in community foundations in the future. LCFS has begun a search for new people to build the strength of our board, and add new expertise and enthusiasm.

As part of the not-for-profit community in Ladysmith, the Ladysmith Community Fund Society wanted to provide an opportunity for people thinking about volunteering, but were not sure where, with community organizations that rely on volunteers. In April, LCFS hosted a Volunteer Fair at Aggie Hall.The response to this event was very positive, and it was very rewarding to see those connections happening. Feedback for the event has suggested that we should run it again in 2025—we’ll keep you posted. Thanks to our Secretary Lynda Baker who organized the event, and to Ladysmith Rotary for their financial contribution, and Country Grocer for in-kind support.

We were very pleased to assist our partners at the Nanaimo Foundation in hosting an Estate Planning Seminar here in Ladysmith in November. Over thirty people registered for the seminar, and we quickly received lots of good feedback. Tammy Leslie, a familiar face at volunteer events in Ladysmith, and a partner in Palmer Leslie Chartered Accountants in Ladysmith, covered a range of topics for those who are planning an orderly exit—when the time comes. Tammy covered pitfalls to be avoided, and the pros and cons of various ways to minimize government taxes, and maximize tax receipts for charitable gifts as part of an estate plan.

Tracey Brown, Director of Philanthropy at the Nanaimo Foundation, also provided additional information on the opportunities for planned giving. This is more than just cash donations, and might include securities, insurance policies, real estate, and more. There was welcome input from participants, and our Vice-President Joan Phillips, a retired Notary Public, also contributed expert advice. The strong message throughout the seminar was to seek professional advice.

We plan to follow this seminar in the spring with a second session, featuring Ladysmith attorney Martin Sanderson, who will provide a more in-depth look at legal considerations around wills, executors, and powers of attorney. 

2023 was the year we inaugurated our grants program, and we were able to do even more in 2024. After issuing a call for proposals, our Grants Committee decided to disburse our available revenue in three grants.

The Community Circles Restorative Justice Society received a grant of $600.00 to host workshops on how residents can address harm and conflict in their communities.

The Community Fund granted $300.00 to The Other Guise Theatre Company, for their evening of short plays presented by local professional performers, as part of a larger program to seek out and assist local emerging performers.

The Ladysmith First United Church was given a grant of $200.00 towards the renovation in the kitchen of the church hall—an important amenity for the parish, and one that is also used by many community groups in Ladysmith.

It’s a good feeling to know that the Ladysmith Community Fund is now established, and will continue to give grants in the community every year in perpetuity. We would, of course, like to be able to do more. To do that, we need to continue to build the fund. We are grateful to all our donors, and hope you will spread the word to others you know who may wish to join you in supporting us. For more information about how to donate to the Ladysmith Community Fund, please visit the donations page.

For those of you who are members of the Ladysmith Community Fund Society, it’s also time to renew your membership. If you have not yet officially become a member, we’d love to welcome you. Membership fees help us cover operating costs so we can continue to build the endowment fund.

We are very pleased to acknowledge the Ladysmith and District Credit Union as our first corporate member this year. LDCU has been a strong supporter from the very beginning.

For complete information about membership visit the “Join” page on our web site:

We’re looking forward to the days getting longer. It’s a sign of brighter days ahead, and a time to celebrate our good fortune. We wish you a happy and prosperous year ahead.

Regards,

Bruce Whittington

President

In the spring of 2024, LCFS issued a call for proposals for the 2024 grant cycle. LCFS President Bruce Whittington said, “The Grants Committee considered all applications, and was so pleased with the strength of the proposals that it decided to award three grants this year.” 

The Community Circles Restorative Justice Society received a grant of $600 to help fund its Village Workshop Series: Building Bridges Through Understanding the Village. CCRJS Project Director Deanna Wrate explained the project will “educate, engage and involve residents in activities and processes that seek solutions in addressing harm and conflict in their communities.”

The Other Guise Theatre Company proposed a program called Super Shorts: An Evening of Short Play Readings. Artistic and Executive Director Matthew Payne says, “By holding professional performances we hope to inspire emerging artists to strengthen their craft.” The company operates widely, but calls Ladysmith “home”, and wanted to collaborate with the Ladysmith Little Theatre to bring this program to Ladysmith. LCFS awarded a grant of $300 for the project.

The third grant was a contribution towards the renovations of the Ladysmith First United Church Hall. While the grant of $200 will benefit the members of the church, it will also help to improve an important community amenity, as the hall is used by a variety of community organizations. Church Administrator Mimi Zuyderduyn said, “The best news was that two donors came forward and offered to match the LCFS contribution, so its value was tripled!”

The grant cheques were presented at the Better Together! Volunteer Fair, which was organized by LCFS with financial assistance from Ladysmith Rotary. LCFS continues to build the Ladysmith Community Fund so that larger grants will be possible in the coming years.

It was a busy day at Aggie Hall on April 14th, 2024, where the Ladysmith Community Fund, with the support of Ladysmith Rotary, held its inaugural Better Together! Volunteer Fair. Twenty-four local community organizations set up displays to describe what they do, and how volunteers can help. And volunteers came forward to offer their time and expertise. As an added bonus, many local organizations made new or stronger connections with other groups, which will foster collaboration in the non-profit sector. For more details, and some images, click on the Events button.

The Ladysmith Community Fund Society is excited to announce a Volunteer Fair at the Aggie Hall in Ladysmith on Sunday, April 14th, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The event is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of volunteers to non-profit organizations. Community organizations can show the community what they’re doing, and it’s also an opportunity for local people to explore ways that they can contribute to these organizations as volunteers or supporters.

The Volunteer Fair would not have been possible without a grant from Ladysmith Rotary, an organization that has been generous in its support of LCFS since its inception.

For more information, and to download a registration form, please go to our Events page.

The Ladysmith Community Fund Society is issuing its second annual call for proposals for grants to qualified charities. The Society established a community endowment fund in 2021 and issued its first grant in 2023 to the Ladysmith Little Theatre.

The Ladysmith Community Fund has grown and investment revenue has increased, so the Society will have $1100 available to one or more charities in the community, almost double what it was able to offer in 2023.

“We’re very gratified by the community response in support of the fund,” said Society president Bruce Whittington. “And we’re really excited to be giving back to the community—which is what we are set up to do.” The Society operates the endowment fund similar to a community foundation, and now that it is established, it will be able to offer grants every year. Those grants will increase as the fund continues to grow.

The deadline for grant proposals is midnight on March 11, 2024, and a decision will be made by the Grants Committee later that month. This is earlier than the 2023 grant cycle, because we heard from some charities that funding would be more useful earlier in the year. A grant application form, and grant application guidelines, are available on the Society’s web site here.

The Ladysmith Community Fund Society’s Grants Committee met to consider the applications it received in response to its call for proposals in May of 2023. The Board accepted the Committee’s recommendation that a grant be issued to the Ladysmith Little Theatre Society. The theatre company will use the funds in its Hearing Enhancement Program, which will make available, on loan, headsets to theatregoers with hearing impairments. The headsets will be connected to the theatre’s sound system by Bluetooth. 

Ladysmith Community Fund Society President Bruce Whittington thanked the theatre company for submitting an application in this, the first annual call for proposals. “Ladysmith Little Theatre has helped us make a little history”, Whittington said. Now that the Fund is established, it will continue to offer grants annually, and it is continuing to grow—the Fund recently received another welcome gift of $500 from Ladysmith Rotary. 

May 5, 2023

The Ladysmith Community Fund Society has issued its first call for proposals from charitable organizations in the Ladysmith area to receive a grant from the Ladysmith Community Fund. The Fund, which was established in 2021, has grown to the point where LCFS can use the revenue it earns to issue a charitable grant. President Bruce Whittington explained that the amount of the first grant will be small at $600. But, Whittington said, “We wanted to start giving back to the community as soon as we could, even if it is a small first step.” He added that more funds will be available in 2024, “and every year after that—forever.”

The deadline for applications is midnight, June 5th, and LCFS anticipates that funds will be issued in July. Applicants must be charities or other “qualified donees” as described under the Income Tax Act. Details of the grant application process, along with a downloadable application form, can be found under the “Granting” button on the LCFS website. LCFS also welcomes email enquiries at grants@ladysmithcommunityfund.ca. 

The Ladysmith Community Fund Society thanks Kim Ethier, who resigned as a director in August, for her contributions to our work. Kim’s experience helped us to build a solid foundation for the Society. We wish her well!

Ladysmith Rotary Club President Frank Elsom, right, presents a cheque for $5,000 to Charlie Schaal, LCFS Secretary, and Laurie Bienert, Executive Director of the Nanaimo Foundation.

In addition to this generous donation, the Fund also received private donations amounting to $7,000. This brings the fund balance to $23,000 in its first year.