DAN CEARNS The Standard
SCUGOG: The Miss-issaugas of Scugog Island First Nation made the holidays brighter for nearly 40 organizations at a recent event. The MSIFN Donations Committee held a Christmas Cheque Presentation and Reception event on Scugog Island on Thursday, December 12th. Total donations and pledges reached $1,389,938. The biggest pledge of the day was $1 million to the Township of Scugog towards the new Blackstock Recreation Centre project. This funding is contingent on the Township being successful at receiving the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program grant funds for the project. The Port Perry Hospital Foundation had the second highest gift of the day, receiving $104,000. Oak Ridges Hospice of Durham was gifted $100,000. They gave the Scugog Council for the Arts $25,000. Among the organ-izations receiving $2,000 donations were: A Place Called Home, Sunrise Pregnancy and Family Support Services, Community Care Durham, Home Away from Home, and the Community Gift Giving Programs in Oshawa and Port Perry. Organizations receiving $2,500 were Community Living Durham North, Denise House, and the Prince Albert and Scugog Island United Churches. “I’m very grateful to be here, I’m grateful for the wonderful neighbours,” Scugog Island United Church Reverend Ned Wells said, when accepting the donation. Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Durham (BBBSND) received $2,750 at the event. “Your donation is going directly to the children in our agency area that supports Uxbridge, Brock and Scugog Townships. Our mentoring programs are so important to the children we serve,” BBBSND executive director Margaret Ayres said. The Durham Region Police Toy Drive received a $3,000 donation. “It’s because of the great people, like the First Nations Donations Committee, Chief [Kelly] LaRocca, and all of you, that I can promise you this. We are winning that battle out there,” Constable Darryl Rice said, to those in attendance, about battling despair in the region. “There are so many charities out there that people could give to, but they continue to step up and support the police [drive].” Among some other donations were $3,000 to Feed the Need Durham, $4,000 to Prince Albert Public School, $5,000 to the Lake Scugog Historical Society, $5,000 to the WindReach Farm Foundation and $10,000 to Theatre on the Ridge.