December 13, 2015
1762
The Kincardine refugee committee is off and running. Fund-raising has begun and committees are in place.
The quick start was fuelled by a public meeting held Monday evening, Dec. 7, at Knox Presbyterian Church, Kincardine.
More than 150 people attended to learn about the committee’s progress to date, offer help and ask questions. The response was positive with people offering help, joining sub-committees, and giving and pledging money.
One suggestion was for people to make their donations by the end of the year to get a quick tax deduction. (Tax deductible receipts will be provided for any donation of $20 or more.) Deductions will be issued by Knox or by the other churches represented on the committee.
Joining Knox on the refugee steering committee, are representatives of Kincardine United Church, Pine River United Church, St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, Kincardine Baptist Church and the Kincardine Islamic Centre.
The committee will apply for a refugee family under the Blended Visa Office Program. The federal government has already approved the Presbyterian Church of Canada for this program. Under the Blended Visa Program, the committee pays $17,000 of the $27,000 needed to sponsor a family of four for a year. The federal government provides the other $10,000.
Following the meeting, the committee received pledges of $1,040 and another $1,216.90 in cash and cheques. Members of Knox Church have already pledged $4,000. Other churches on the steering committee will also be accepting donations.
It was suggested that a gate collection at Bruce Power could raise a few thousand dollars for the committee.
One thing the committee is in need of is a storage place, said Rev. Kathy Fraser of Knox Presbyterian Church, Kincardine.
There were people with considerable expertise at the meeting and they offered their help in many ways – from teaching to helping fill out application forms. Committees for finance, publicity, fund-raising, household and furniture, clothing, housing, driving, education and health, are in the process of being formed.
People who wish to donate can make cheques payable to: Knox Presbyterian Church – Refugees. They can be sent to: Knox Presbyterian Church, Attention Refugee Fund, 345 Durham St., Kincardine, Ontario, N2Z 1Y6.
People who want more information should E-mail: kincardine.refugee@gmail.com; phone 519-396-2311; or search Kincardine refugee committee on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/714962285271698.
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