The sports involved in the 2006 Power Smart Winter Games were Alpine Ski, Badminton, Special Olympic Bowling, Cross Country Skiing, Curling, Hockey, Volleyball, Figure Skating, and Artistic Gymnastics.

August 26 2010, was a good day for our Foundation and the community of Beausejour.  Reg Black and Bob Rondeau, co-chairs of the Host Society for the 2006 Winter Games held in Beausejour present a cheque for $29,250 to foundation president, Len Kolton.  This money will be used to create a special fund with the foundation to support the sports represented at the games.  This money will be invested and the interest used to support these sports.  It is expected to return an initial amount of approximately $1000 and should grow in the future.  The sports at the games were Alpine ski, Badminton, Bowling, Cross Country ski, Curling, Hockey, Volleyball, Figure Skating, Artistic Gymnastics, and Special Olympics Bowling.

This fund promises to be a future legacy and reminder to future athletes and community supporters of the hard work of the many volunteers who stepped up to make these games such a huge success.  Hopefully, it will encourage many in the future to strive to host such events.  Future athletes will benefit yearly from the support of this fund.

Thank you to all the volunteers and athletes - the Games were great!

Science Bursary

Christmas 2009 was a special one for the members of the Foundation.  An anonymous resident contacted us about making a special donation.  They wanted to give back to a community they had enjoyed for so many years.  Having an interest in all things scientific the board was asked if a fund could be created to promote education in science related areas.  To that end, the Science Bursary has been created with a donation of$10,000.  The money has been invested with The Winnipeg Foundation who has been administering a program for the provincial government.  The program saw additional money added to the fund bringing it close to $13000.This fund will be used to support students going on to further education in a science field be it theoretical or applied.  Students going on to a university or college in a wide range of fields of study from medical to engineering, astrophysics, or laboratory technology can benefit from this fund.

Saturday afternoon, we hosted our Sausage BBQ at the Co-op.  This allowed us to tell the public about our programs and benefits to local organizations.

We see the week as a success at raising our profile in the community and raising some funds also.  Proceeds for the week are:

Co-op BBQ                     $143.02

Legion Chicken Shoot      $276.00

Zion Pancake Breakfast   $223.00

The employees at the Provincial Government Building held their annual All Charities Event again this year, with the proceeds flowing to our foundation.  This saw a donation of $953.75.  Thank you to these community minded citizens for their support of our community over the years and our foundation this year.

We also saw private donation come in during this week, totaling $375.

Our second Awareness Week was a success and we will see you again next year.

Monday, November 12 we held a pancake breakfast at Zion Lutheran Church. We owe a large thank you to Irene Schwark for her guidance and leadership.

Wednesday, we had a BBQ Sausage and Drink day at Beausejour Co-op Store. This was a big success for us and we extend a big thank you to the staff of the Co-op.

Thursday, the Beauhead Seniors held a Whist Tournament with the proceeds coming to the Foundation. Once again we send a thank you.

The Chicken Shoot on Friday was our most successful event. The Legion partnered with us and where a big reason for the success. Their Baron of Beef supper brought a large crowd for our Chicken Shoot Challenge between the town and municipal councils. After a wonderful supper, the Chicken Shoot (variation on darts) was held. Once the smoke and feathers had settled, it was determined that the RM was a little wide on their shooting. Behind dead-eye Dubray the Town was the victor. The RM vowed to return next year and get their revenge.

Saturday was our windup. With George the Magician to entertain young and not so young, Square Dancers whirling all around the floor, Dream Catchers singing up a storm, it was a fun afternoon for all.

Financial Summary:

Pancake Breakfast profit $115.00
Co-op BBQ profit $264.00
Whist Tournament profit $70.00
Chicken Shoot profit $114.75

Saturday Finale: loss $522.90

other costs: $67.00

Result is a net income of $2.21 for the week. But the real bottom line is $6775 in donations to the foundation and a much greater awareness in the community. We have declared our first Fun and Facts Weeks a success.

George the Magician entertained a crown of young and not so young.

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Swinging Square Dancers whirled around the floor.

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Dream Catchers provided some wonderful singing and playing.

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Our President, Len

A Community Foundation is a registered non-profit charitable organization that provides funds to other charitable non-profit groups in any community. One of the most difficult tasks of any non-profit group is to raise sufficient resources in order to carry on its purposes and goals. Non-profit groups provide essential services to our community that make our community a better place to live, to work, and to raise a family.

As an avid community volunteer and as a lawyer practicing law in Beausejour, I was aware that our non-profit groups in the Beausejour, Brokenhead, Tyndall, Garson areas were struggling to deliver services because of a lack of funds available to them. The only sources of funds were local government sources such as the Town of Beausejour, the RM of Brokenhead, as well as some Provincial and Federal grants, if they were available, and of course, the arduous task of fund raising. I felt that there should be another source of funds available to them, so I contacted and organized a group of interested, committed community volunteers to investigate the possibility of establishing a Community Foundation and to serve as members on our first Board of Directors.

It was a tremendous challenge, both in terms of raising funds for the Foundation to invest and in terms of creating awareness within our community with respect to our Foundation.

The name “Brokenhead River Community Foundation Inc.” was selected because it was felt that the name reflected the geographical area from which donations would be solicited and the area within which non-profits would benefit.

I contacted the Thomas Sill Foundation in Winnipeg to be included within its list of sponsored Community Foundations and our Community Foundation was approved. This was a tremendous opportunity for our Foundation, because under the Agreement, the Thomas Sill Foundation would provide 50 cents to our Foundation for every dollar we could raise within a 3 year period, to a maximum contribution of $100,000 from the Thomas Sill Foundation. This meant if our Foundation could raise $200,000 within 3 years, then the Thomas Sill Foundation would contribute $100,000 to our Foundation. This was a significant challenge for the Board of Directors of our Foundation, but through a great deal of hard work, we met and exceeded that challenge for the benefit of the community. We held casino nights, fundraising dinners, a crop plot fundraiser, and many other events in order to raise the money. Articles about our Foundation were submitted semi-monthly to raise the public’s awareness about the Foundation. We contacted business owners, residents of our community, and our local and provincial governments for financial support. All of this effort created awareness within our community about the goals, objectives and purposes of our Community Foundation.

It is gratifying when we see what the Foundation has done for our community – when we see the grants and support that is given year after year to our non-profit groups, and when we see the Scholarships that are given to deserving graduates of Edward Schreyer School. It is also gratifying when we see the Foundation supporting our Youth in Philanthropy group, because instilling a sense of charity and compassion in our young people can only benefit our community in the future.

All in all, the formation of and ensuring the success of the Brokenhead River Community Foundation Inc. was a tremendous challenge, but was also a very satisfying and gratifying experience. The future looks very bright for our Foundation and our community and we look forward to the continuing success and growth of both.

The first Board of Directors were as follows:

President - Gerald Hawranik

Vice-President - Linda Pleskach

Secretary - Vicky Witzke

Treasurer - Wilf Hastman

Directors - Bruce Schade

Fred Kazina

Art Berry

Karen Zink (June 98)

Gerry Denisiuk

FIRST DIRECTORS FEB 28 1998 – FEB 28 1999

Gerald Hawaranik (President)

Linda Pleskach (Vice President)
Vickie Witzke (Secretary) –(Resigned-May 25,1999)
Bruce Schade
Fred Kazina
Art Berry
Karen Zirk (N-June 98)
Gerry Denisiuk

MARCH 1 1999– FEB 28 2000

Gerald Hawanik (P)
Linda Pleskach (VP)
Wilf Hastman(T)
Bruce Schade
Fred Kazina
Art Berry (Resigned-Nov 16, 1999)
Karen Zirk
Randy Bialek (New-Mar 1999)
Gerry Denisiuk (Resigned-Mar 3, 1999)
Larry Steciuk (New-Apr 99, Resigned - Dec 13, 1999)
Linda York (New - Feb 2000)
Betty Swain (New - Feb 2000) (Sec)

MARCH 1 2000 – FEB 28 2001

Gerald Hawanik (P)
Linda Pleskach (VP)
Betty Swain(S)
Wilf Hastman (T)
Bruce Schade
Fred Kazina
Karen Zirk (Resigned - Dec 4,2000)
Randy Bialek
Linda York
Joanne Lowery (New - Dec 2000)
Richard Middleton(New - Dec 2000)
Murray Shuster (New -Dec 2000)
Ron Jackson (New - Dec 2000)
Kim MacAulay(New - Dec 2000)

APRIL 01 TO MARCH 02

Gerald Hawranik (P)
Linda Pleskach (VP)
Betty Swain (S)
Wilf Hastman (T)
Randy Bialek
Bruce Schade
Fred Kazina (Resigned - Oct15, 2001)
Randy Bialek (Resigned - Nov 19,2001)
Linda York
Joanne Lowery
Richard Middleton
Murray Shuster
Ron Jackson
Kim MacAulay
Mary Ann Austman (New - Oct 2001 –NEHA)
Karen Kozyra (New - Jan 14, 2002)

MARCH 1 2002 – FEB 28 2003

Gerald Hawranik (President) (Resigned)
Linda Pleskach (VP) (Resigned - Feb 2, 2003)
Betty Swain (S)
Wilf Hastman (T)
Bruce Schade (Resigned - Feb2, 2003)
Linda York
Joanne Lowery (Resigned - Oct7, 2002)
Richard Middleton
Murray Shuster
Ron Jackson
Kim MacAulay
Mary Ann Austman
Donna DeMarco (New - Mar11 2002)
Karen Kozyra (Resigned -Jan 6, 2003)
Gerry Denisiuk (New - Nov 18,02)

MARCH 1 2003 TO FEB 28 2004

Linda York (President)
Betty Swain(Secretary)
Wilf Hastman(Treasurer) (R-May 26,03)
Gerry Denisiuk (Resigned - Apr 14,03)
Richard Middleton (President)
Mary Ann Austman (Resigned -Sept 28,2003)
Murray Shuster
Ron Jackson (Vice President)
Kim MacAulay
Donna DeMarco
Gerrit Boonstra(New Mar 10 2003)
Al Tymko (New - Sep 28, 2003)
Scott Skipper (New - Sept 28, 2003)
Edna Kozyra (New - Sept 28, 2003)
Glennda Gould (New - Nov17,2003)

MARCH 1 2004 TO FEB 28 2005

Richard Middleton (P)
Resigned during this period –Betty Swain, Murray Shuster
Betty Swain (R-Mar22, 04)
Linda York (PP)
Murray Shuster (R-Mar22,04)
Ron Jackson (VP)
Kim MacAulay
Donna DeMarco
Gerrit Boonstra
Edna Kozyra
Glennda Gould
Al Tymko
Scott Skipper
Julie Giesbrecht (N-Sept27 04)

MARCH 1 2005 TO FEB 28 2006

Richard Middleton (P) Resigned during this period: Linda York,

Ron Jackson (VP) moved to P May 2005 Scott Skipper, Julie Giesbrecht,

Linda York (R- May 16, 05)
Barrie Noonan deceased
Donna DeMarco
Al Tymko
Edna Kozyra
Kim MacAulay
Gerrit Boonstra
Glennda Gould
Scott Skipper (R-May 16, 05)
Julie Giesbrecht (R-Oct 17 05)
Gerry Neault (Tr -N-May 16, 05)
Lawrie Goalen(N May 16,05)
Barrie Noonan (N Aug 15,05)deceased Mar 16, 2006
Len Kolton (N Mar 20, 06)

MARCH 1 2006 TO FEB 28, 2007

Ron Jackson (P)
Richard Middleton (PP)(R Oct 16, 06)
Len Kolton (VP)
Donna DeMarco
Al Tymko (R- Dec 18, 06)
Edna Kozyra
Kim MacAulay
Gerrit Boonstra (R Dec 18 06)
Glennda Gould (R- Sept 18, 06)
Gerry Neault (Tr)
Lawrie Goalen
Brad Saluk (N-Sept 18, 06)
Cindee Bialek (N Sept 18, 06)
Doug Sobering (N Jan15, 07)
Robert Grant (N Feb 19, 07)
Theresa Wielgosh (N Feb 19, 07)

May 14 2007 – May 20 2008

Ron Jackson (R – May 14 2007)
Len Kolton (P)
Gerry Neault (T)
Lawrie Goalen
Theresa Wielgosh
Cindee Bialek
Donna DeMarco
Doug Sobering
Bob Grant
Brad Saluk
Edna Kozyra
Kim Macaulay (R – May 14 2007)
al Jackson (admin assist)

May 20 2008 – Nov 9, 2009

Len Kolton (P)
Edna Kozyra (VP) (R Nov 9 2009)
Gerry Neault (T) (R Nov 9, 2009)
Terry Wielgosh (S)
Lawrie Goalen
Cindee Bialek
Donna DeMarco
Doug Sobering
Bob Grant
Brad Saluk
Betty Goritz (Join Aug 2008)
Joan Litke (N – April 20, 2009)
Val Jackson (admin Assist)

Nov 9 2009 –

Len Kolton (P)
Joan Litke (VP)
Lawrie Goalen (T)
Terry Wielgosh (S) (R - Sept)
Cindee Bialek
Donna DeMarco
Doug Sobering
Bob Grant
Brad Saluk
Bryan Minus (Join - June)
Betty Goritz (R - April 19)
Val Jackson (admin Assist)

November 2010-

Len Kolton (P)
Joan Litke (VP)
Lawrie Goalen (T)
Cindee Bialek
Donna DeMarco
Doug Sobering
Bob Grant (R - Jan 2011)
Brad Saluk
Bryan Minus
Ron Jackson (Join - Jan 2011)
Chris Pawley (Join - April 2011)
Val Jackson (Admin Assist)

For an income statement covering the time period November 2005 to October 2006, click on this link. incomestatement0506.pdf