FUNDRAISING ACTIVITY Saturday, January 3, 2009 Cabaret Community Centre (watch for more details) THANK YOU!!! Thank you to the bakers, volunteers and supporters of our Dec. 12 COOKIE WALK. Thanks to you all, the event was a huge success

THE WRITING IS ON THE CRUMBLING WALLS!!

Churchbridge's 37-year-od swimming pool is nearing its end. This past spring (2008) sections of its concrete walls collapsed in several places but fortunately, repairs were able to be made to allow it to be open for another summer of swimming classes and fun.

However, the pool has reached the stage where BANDAIDS WILL NO LONGER DO. The cement in the pool has been pressure washed so often over the years, it has eroded to the point, as one voluteer put it, "The only thing holding it together is the paint." It is time to construct a new swimming pool for Churchbridge, OF THAT THERE IS NO DOUBT.

A NEW LOCATION has become available, adjacent to the Churchbridge Public School, the Churchbridge Cultural Centre (the old elementary school which today houses the Churchbridge Daycare Cooperative), and the Heritage Manor (for our seniors' possible use). This will eliminate the dangerous Highway 16 crossing for a majority of the town's residents (particularily our young walkers and bikers) and increase its usefulness by tying it with school programming and daycare visits.

As you can imagine, building an entirely new pool is an exciting prospect but it is also a very expensive undertaking. An early estimate based on other recently completed municipal swimming pools puts the cost in the range of $900,000!!

That is an awful lot of money. But we are confident that with the support of CHURCHBRIDGE RESIDENTS, PAST & PRESENT, we will be able to raise those funds. This is the first fundraising drive for a major new capital project since the Churchbridge Curling Rink was constructed in 1984. Our confidence comes from the fact that many, many people recognize the vital importance of the swimming pool to the life of the community.

From the day it opened, the pool has been THE PLACE for kids, teens and adults to go during the summer months for a cooling swim on a hot Saskatchewan afternoon or evening. Hundreds of young people from the community and elsewhere have taken advantage of the Red Cross swimming lessons offered every summer at the pool to learn how to swim and enjoy being in the water. It is a source of several summer jobs for students every year.

Even those who have never dipped a toe in the pool benefit from it as it is a vital community asset that makes Churchbridge A PREFERRED COMMUNITY in which to live, and therefore increases the value of all properties. Listing a swimming pool as one of Churchbridge's major recreation facilities says this is a progressive town and one that makes it a great home for today's residents and for future home buyers.

The new pool is going to be FULLY ACCESSIBLE FOR THE DISABLED, AND ENERGY EFFICIENT, possibly incorporating solar heating to minimize operating costs and its environmental impact.

FUNDRAISING

A major component of our fundraising will be the financial support we receive from individuals - Churchbridge residents, past and present, and even the future. We are looking to you to support this valuable facility through donations both small and large.

Like drops of water filling a pool, EACH AND EVERY CONTRIBUTION will move our campaign towards the start of construction of the new pool.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME. The condition of the current pool will be uncertain every spring from this point on. One of these years it may finally be determined to be beyond the point of repair. So the sooner we start receiving financial contributions, the better.

BE PART OF THE 100!

We are looking for 100 individuals, couples or families willing to contribute $1,000 or more to construct the new Churchbridge swimming pool. With that support, the local fundraising campaign will instantly stand at $100,000, showing just how strongly committed the community is to the future of this valuable recreational facility and the fundraising efforts for it.

Yes, $1,000 is an awful lot of money! But consider this . . .

This is for individuals, couples and families only and not for organizations and businesses (we will acknowledge their contributions in other ways).

What a great way to pay tribute to a valued family member, or your mom and dad, or grandma and grandpa! You can lump individual contributions together as a family ("The Browns").

If we reach our target quickly, those funds will be in place to help generate even more through accumulated interest.

Tax receipts will be issued for any donation of $20 or more. EVERY DROP COUNTS!!

For more information or to receive a donation form for the new Churchbridge Swimming Pool, write to Box 223, Churchbridge, SK, S0A 0M0.

THE TIME TO BUILD STARTS NOW!!