East Kootenay Community Credit Union (EKC) has announced the return to the Elk Valley of their successful Community Cash Awards. The program supports development of healthy and diverse communities.

The Community Cash Awards will offer community groups an opportunity to apply for funding while involving EKC members and the community in choosing the award winners.

Community groups are invited to apply for Community Cash Awards by submitting an application form (available at EKCCU.COM) by Monday, March 18.  EKC will select six groups to move forward to the next round. The groups selected will promote themselves and their projects in their local branch of EKC from April 8-13.

The finalists will be invited to set up information tables to promote their organization at EKC’s Annual General Meeting taking place in Sparwood on Tuesday, April 30 at the Causeway Bay Hotel.

At the AGM, members, and non-members including youth will receive EKC Community Cash to ‘invest’ with one or more of the community groups of their choice.  Each of the groups will receive $500 for attending the AGM as well as the real cash equivalent to the Community Cash they accumulate throughout the event.  The group who receives the most Community Cash will also receive an additional $500 in funding. This provides a fun and unique way to involve both EKC members and the community in selecting the Community Cash Award recipients. For those whose children do not want to attend the full AGM a family friendly movie will be shown!

Members, the public, supporters and youth who wish to receive more information are invited to stop by their local Elk Valley branch of EKC.

For more information about the Community Cash Awards and to download an application form.

The 2017 Elk Valley Community Cash Award gave out $7,718 in total. The recipients included:

Elkford Search and Rescue

Fernie Nordic Society

Fernie’s Wildsight Elk Valley Apple Capture and Tool Share Program

Sparwood Skateboard Park

#279 Elk Valley Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron Band Program

Elkford Youth Soccer Expansion Project

Sparwood Lions Gazebo

All groups did an incredible job raising awareness about the important work they do within the Elk Valley.

Learn more about previous award winners

EKC was established in 1950 and has grown to over $343 million in assets and serves over 11,480 members throughout the East Kootenay. EKC is a community based financial cooperative that offers a full range of banking, financial planning (EKC MoneyWorks) and general insurance (KIS Ltd) services. Our community branches are located in Cranbrook, Elkford, Fernie, and Sparwood.

Lead image: The 2017 recipients were Elkford Search and Rescue for their ‘Avalanche Rescue Plan’. EKC Photo

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