Waivers approved for charity groups

Taber Recreation Board approved unanimously full waiver requests to pass onto town council by two community groups who made their presentation to the board in which they got an insight into the service to the community.

Abe Fehr was on hand as part of Taber Cares making a waiver request for use of the Taber Community Centre, as part of the Flood Relief Dinner and Silent Auction that went on in mid-August.

Various community groups, churches and members-at-large gathered forces to put on the event, which raised money for flood relief efforts in High River and surrounding areas.

“We had great results. We had a pulling together of volunteers where everything worked well. We sold around 900 tickets and they sold for $12 per piece. There were over 200 items that went for silent auction,” said Fehr. “We raised over $72,000 in total. There were no costs involved as of yet, so I guess this would be Taber’s opportunity to help out with funding, as well with the waiver request.”

The second granted waiver request was by Taber Community Action Prevention Society (TCAPS). In existence for approximately 30 years which has spearheaded such initiatives as Safe Haven, Taber Food Bank, the Victim Services Unit, and Taber Community Against Drugs and Taber Youth Initiative also falling under the TCAPS umbrella.

“We attempt to build form a grassroots perspective capacity within Taber and surrounding area by working collaboratively with the partners who sit at our table,” said Graham Abela, president of TCAPS.

Abela brought up examples of a $5,000 donation to the girls rugby club, $3,000 to a track and field committee, $2,000 to the air cadet program and $5,000 to the cenotaph restoration committee.

“All the money that we raise goes back into the community in order to build capacity within Taber. We are also instrumental in bringing ADAC into the community as a group,” said Abela.

TCAPS’ waiver request came in the form of the rental fee for the Taber Community Centre auditorium for the Ladies Night Out initiative which uses a walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes metaphor where local celebrities would serve tables wearing high-heel shoes to raise money for charity.

“It goes towards building capacity around domestic violence, specifically funding Safe Haven, about $10,000 in the last two years that we have done it,” said Abela. “”It’s becoming more successful all the time and we need a larger venue. This year we have had to move from the Heritage Inn where we had it the year before and previous to that we had it at Luigi’s.”

Luigi’s and the Heritage had waived their fees for the rentals as well.

“We feel this would be an excellent way for the Town of Taber to help us build community capacity by allowing us to take that $1,000 that we would be paying the town and giving it to someone else. We do not see any profit in what we do. We simply raise funds and put those funds back into the needs of the community.”