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City of Red Deer proclaims Sept. 9-14 as Service Week

Proclamation reading held at City Hall on Thursday
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Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston proclaimed Sept. 9-14 as Service Week in City Hall Park on Thursday. (Photo by Sean McIntosh/Advocate staff)

Support from service clubs is invaluable for nonprofit organizations, says Red Deer's mayor.

Mayor Ken Johnston declared next week as Service Week during a proclamation reading in front of Red Deer City Hall on Thursday.

"Many of the service clubs in Red Deer have been here for more than 100 years, which is pretty remarkable," Johnston said.

"For Service Week they get together and reach out to the community. That leverages their influence and the beneficiaries not only get a financial or material boost, but they begin to network into the clubs themselves. They get the visibility that some nonprofits struggle to get. That's often one of the challenges nonprofits have.

"When they get this kind of exposure, a lot more people can react, and they become known to the clubs. The effects of a week like this will translate throughout the whole year."

Central Alberta Humane Society will be one of seven local nonprofits to receive a helping hand and $1,500 during the third annual Service Week from Sept. 9-14.

Seven service clubs — Rotary Club of Red Deer, Rotary Club of Red Deer Sunrise, Rotary Club of Red Deer East, Red Deer Kinsmen, Lions Club of Red Deer, Optimists Club of Red Deer and Red Deer Kiwanis — will be supporting the nonprofit organizations throughout Service Week from Sept. 9-14. 

Seven nonprofit organizations will receive a helping hand and $1,500 from these service clubs during the week. The organizations receiving support are Meals on Wheels, the Cadets, Red Deer Hospice, Aspen Heights Micro Society, Safety City and Central Alberta Humane Society.

The humane society intends to use their $1,500 to stock up on food. Rotary Club of Red Deer members will be there next Wednesday to help unload, stock shelves and clean up around the facility.

"Service clubs, like the Rotary Club, make an impact on us by helping our team be able to give better care to the animals in our shelter," said Megan Barrett, executive director of the Central Alberta Humane Society.

"Any kind of support we receive, whether it's monetary or hands to help, makes a huge difference for everybody and our animals."



Sean McIntosh

About the Author: Sean McIntosh

Sean joined the Red Deer Advocate team in the summer of 2017. Originally from Ontario, he worked in a small town of 2,000 in Saskatchewan for seven months before coming to Central Alberta.
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