BRAGG CREEK FOUNDATION LAUNCH
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Robbie Burns Day
The community came together to celebrate the launch of the Bragg Creek Foundation with Scottish flair and a wee dram on Robbie Burns Day, January 25th. Hosted at the Post House, the event opened with a piping in the haggis ceremony and a theatrical performance of Burn’s poem “Address to A Haggis” recited by Marty Gorman.
What was known as the Bragg Creek Ladies Auxiliary is now the Bragg Creek Foundation. The Ladies Auxiliary was formed in 1960 as a special committee structured under the Bragg Creek Community Association. It provided supports and services in the community for over 65 years.
The evolution started back just after the flood. A couple of community members walked down White Avenue in June 2013 and witnessed the devastation people were dealing with. They quickly mobilized, held a fundraiser, raised local donations and distributed funds to the people who urgently needed help.
Then came the pandemic, funded by a generous BC family the Auxiliary hosted a COVID Relief Fund and provided funding to families in the community. Both efforts, the flood fund and this COVID fund, were based on and operated much like the Red Cross model. This fund now operates under the title of the Urgent Needs Fund and provides support to children, families and seniors in our local area who are experiencing hardship due to a life- changing event such as fire or poor health.
“We also evolved to reflect how we manage donations, such as bequests and gifts that are reinvested directly into the community. We believe that the Foundation will help us better serve the community’ s current needs. Society status also allows us to work more collaboratively with like-minded efforts in the community.” said Michele McDonald, President of the Foundation.
The Foundation will continue to help locals with their Celebration of Life events, support the BC Veteran’s Committee with the annual Remembrance Day Service and host the annual Clean Up the Creek event with BC Wild.
What’s on the horizon, is supporting the Rocky View Foundation for the long- awaited senior’s housing, dedication to support primary care in our community, a scholarship program, hosting a “Not a” Golf Tournament and they have sights on establishing charitable status.
The mood was jubilant on Robbie Burns Day and McDonald expressed that, “We appreciate all the community groups that came out to support us today, there were representatives from the Chamber, BCCA, Camp Horizon, Bragg Creek Trails, the Wild, Snowbirds, Redwood Fire, MLA Sara Elmeligi and more! Think of the even more great things we can do in Bragg Creek when we work collaboratively. I think this calls for a Scottish salute” and a dram was raised.
