News Leader News
GOLF CLUB RECEIVES $250,000
The announcement was made by Community Forest Corporation Chair Randy McLean last Tuesday afternoon following a meeting in Town Hall to finalize details.
"We are here to announce a funding grant by the Princeton Forest Corporation to the Princeton Golf Club. This is a culmination of years of work, both for the creation and operating of the Community Forest Corporation and the Princeton Golf Course expansion. The Forest Corp. has reached a level of earnings that warrants dispersal to deserving projects in our community. The Princeton Golf Course expansion application has been received some time ago and this project meets all Forest Corporation criteria for funding. The Princeton Forest Corp. is pleased to award the 2006 Grant in the amount of $250,000.00 in funds to retire debt incurred as a result of the nine hole expansion."
Princeton Golf Club President Gerry Kind expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Golf Club membership, "On behalf of the Golf Club - the members and the residents of Princeton and area who use the golf course, I'd like to give a big thanks. You have lifted a huge burden off the shoulders of 350 people so they thank you. Thank you."
The expansion, which was completed in 2001, was nothing short of a community effort with over $402,000.00 in equipment donations and close to $90,000.00 in volunteer labour donations.
"Without the equipment donations and volunteer labour," Kind pointed out, "It would never have happened."
McLean added, "The Board sees this as one of the most deserving projects in the community.² He went on to thank Cornie Froese for managing the CFC and the cooperation of Weyerhaeuser, "They have always had the best interests of the Town at heart."
CFC Director Jaymie Atkinson congratulated the Golf Club with a this statement: "You're a great example of what the Town needs and can do."
WEYERHAEUSER AWARDS $17,500
Last Friday morning Weyerhaeuser announced grants to five non-profit organizations in Princeton totaling $17,500 in support of projects, programs and activities that enrich the community."At Weyerhaeuser, we believe it's very important for us to be active, participating members of the community. We are proud to support the work of these excellent organizations that contribute so much to the well-being of local residents," said Jeff Larsen, manager of Weyerhaeuser's Princeton Sawmill.
Grants presented include: $7,500 to the Princeton & District Community Services Society; $2,000 to the Princeton & District Child and Youth Committee for the Princeton Youth Drug Education/Prevention Initiative and $1,000 to the Princeton Rodeo Club for upgrades to the rodeo grounds.
"Weyerhaeuser's generous grant will benefit the agency in two areas. We will be able to enrich the programming for our developmentally disabled clients, by providing inclusive community opportunities in recreational, social and educational settings. A portion of the funds will be used to provide furnishings in our newest housing option for residential living clients, completed in December 2005," said Lynn Pelly, Executive Director of the Princeton & District Community Services Society.
"Budgets are always tight so it's very gratifying when community partners, such as Weyerhaeuser, provide support for the programs we administer to address the needs of the more vulnerable members of our community."
Weyerhaeuser will also continue its long-term support for the Town of Princeton's Girls Exploring Trades and Technology summer camp with a grant of $5,000 and sponsorship of the Princeton Agricultural Fall Fair with an award of $2,000. These grants will be presented later in the year.
Each year, Weyerhaeuser invests over $2-million in hundreds of worthy projects, programs and activities in Canadian communities where the company has operations.
WHAT - LOCAL PEOPLE DON'T READ?
People are borrowing fewer books, videos and audio tapes from Princeton's library. Leslie Dieno, manager of Okanagan Regional Library, reported this fact to Town Council on February 20. At the same time, she reported increased use, throughout the region, of internet accessing for research.
Circulation throughout the region was down 2.5 percent.
The Regional Library website is extremely busy, having had two million hits in 2005.
The library system is participating in a province-wide literacy program. Dieno told Council the summer reading club increased 22 percent, and the library is involved in the Books for Babies program and tutors for new readers. Books for Babies kits are given to every new mother to help them understand the importance of reading to and singing to their infants and toddlers.
Although circulation is down a bit in Princeton, there are many new library customers.
Dieno talked about the interior of the library, saying it is not as welcoming as it should be. She conceded it is crowded and may have to be moved to a better space.
For the benefit of new members of Town Council, Dieno explained how the library system is funded. Property taxes and population are worked into a cost-sharing formula for the region. Princeton pays less than one percent of taxes for the library service, averaging $25.92 per year per capita (the average cost of one book).
MISSING WINTER HIKERS RESCUED
On Monday February 20th emergency services agencies including the Manning Park Resort Ski Patrol, Princeton Ground Search and Rescue, Princeton RCMP, RCMP Air Services, and a search and rescue helicopter from CFB Comox, joined forces to locate a 40-year old Maple Ridge man and his 12-year old son who had become lost in the Poland Lake area of Manning Provincial Park."The father and son had hiked into the area on Saturday to winter camp for one night, and failed to return home to the lower mainland on Sunday," says Princeton RCMP Cpl. M. J. McVicar, "They were reported missing on Monday morning at which time the Manning Park Resort Ski Patrol checked the lake area and determined that the two campers had travelled in the wrong direction and had entered a dangerous canyon area."
Volunteers from the Princeton Ground Search and Rescue were called in to assist with further searching. A RCMP helicopter from Kelowna conducted a search of the area and was successful in locating the missing campers, but due the terrain, was unable to remove them from the area.
"A search and rescue helicopter based at CFB Comox happened to be flying through the area, and it diverted from it's course to assist in the rescue," McVicar adds.
"A crew member was lowered 250 feet below the helicopter into the canyon, and he was able to extract the campers without further incident."
The father and his son were wet and cold, and lucky that they survived the -26 degree overnight temperatures. They appreciated the time and effort of the many volunteer searchers from Princeton and Manning Park Resort.
