The Altona Elks rounded out 2024 with a significant donation to the Altona and Area Family Resource Centre (AAFRC).
Local lodge members proudly presented the $5,000 generated from the final round of last year’s Chase the Ace fundraiser.
Guy Mullen expressed the Elks’ delight in supporting an organization that positively impacts the community.
“They do so much for this community. Every time they help a family, it helps the future of the entire area,” he said. “The family does better, the children do better, and they can move forward at a better pace into a better world.”
The Altona Elks have been running the Chase the Ace fundraiser for years.
“It’s been one of our biggest fundraisers from day one,” Mullen noted.
Previous rounds have yielded donations as high as $10,000 for local efforts like the library relocation and the Kiddie Sunshine Centre expansion. Since 2022, the Altona Elks Lodge has invested over $41,000 back into the community.
AAFRC coordinator Nina Edbom-Kehler expressed her gratitude for the donation.
“Any donations are greatly appreciated, no matter how big or small. The Elks have always been one of our biggest supporters,” she said. “I love that this donation isn’t tagged for anything. People need people. And a lot of the grants that we apply for have to do with acquiring things. We have enough things. We need people. So, the Chase the Ace money can go towards wages.”
Edbom-Kehler has already envisioned a new program called Mini-Chefs in the Kitchen to help address food insecurity.
“I overhear parents talking about how tough it is to purchase groceries because everything is so expensive, and how kids are often so picky in their eating. This program would bring kids into the kitchen, where they can help with the preparation and then take ownership of it,” she explained.
“Our current facilitators have gotten together and discussed how many families are dealing with food insecurity. We thought about putting parents and their kids in the kitchen to learn about how meals are made. A lot of conversation goes on around the dinner table, and there could be conversations between parents about local sales and different ways to prepare food. We’re still working on the details, but we want to bring that to some of our families.”
The AAFRC has set aside $28,000 for its programming budget this year, Edbom-Kehler shared, and the donation from the Altona Elks will significantly contribute to these efforts.
