Thames Valley

2007-2008

March 1
July 1
November 1

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November 1 deadline

The Community grants listed below were ratified on March 6, 2008.

Anna Francis Arts Initiative
$70,000 over two years to hire a year-round, part-time artistic co-ordinator who will assist with the planning, promotion, administration, implementation and delivery of the organization's programming in London.

Big Sisters of London
$80,000 over two years for a co-ordinator, education materials and marketing to expand a health program. Post-secondary students will partner with girls aged 12 to 14 years to give support and encourage informed choices about healthy active living.

Canadian Great War Society, Inc.
$22,100 over one year to obtain 15 sets of replica-World-War-One Canadian uniforms for use in historical re-enactments in Southwestern Ontario. This will allow the society to recruit new, younger members and participate in parades and museum events.

Canterbury Folk Festival of Ingersoll
$48,500 over one year to improve stages and canopies for this outdoor annual festival in Ingersoll. The community will then have a better opportunity and a more comfortable venue in which to experience a variety of cultural and artistic disciplines.

Church of St. John the Evangelist - London
$9,400 over one year to purchase dining chairs that will be used in this London church's Saturday Dinner Program and for other events held in the parish hall.

Fairmont Lawn Bowling Club
$37,000 over one year for the installation of new lights at the lawn bowling club located in east London. This upgrade will improve safety and enable more members, especially seniors, to participate in the sport.

Forest City Diving Club
$15,000 to purchase dry-land training equipment, which will enhance the safety of practising divers and increase participation of more youth in the sport of diving.

Healthy Headwaters Initiative c/o Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation
$60,000 over three years to help restore wetland habitats in Huron and Middlesex counties, providing opportunities for a greater understanding of the importance of wetlands to water quality and quantity. Another OTF grant will support this activity.

Imadon Street Painting Performance Group
$20,000 over eight months to hire a project manager and add new and diverse programming. This will increase awareness, financial support and attendance for the group's three-day summer exhibition.

In Good Company c/o London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus
$51,000 over nine months for an artistic director, promotion, venue rental and supplies to plan and deliver a four-week festival in London that will celebrate the contributions of new Canadians to the arts in this community.

Inflatable Arch c/o Thames Valley Children's Centre
$4,900 over one year for the purchase of an inflatable arch that will be used to mark the finish line of the annual Forest City Road Races, which raise funds for the children's centre in London.

Ingersoll Lawn Bowling Club
$35,400 over nine months to replace old lighting and update maintenance equipment and backboards. These improvements will allow the club to more easily accommodate all of its members and extend activities into the evening.

The London Camera Club (TLCC)
$10,000 over one year to purchase new computer equipment which will allow the guild members to increase their technical skills and provide photo shows for the broader community.

London Community Players
$115,000 over 18 months to hire an executive director to build the capacity of the organization to present plays and performances and operate a financially successful rental venue in East London.

London Crisis Pregnancy Centre
$7,400 over one year to replace and repair windows, which will help reduce energy loss and improve the comfort of this facility that provides support and referrals to 1,000 clients and education to 3,000 high school students each year.

London Fringe Theatre Festival
$76,000 over three years to expand the festival with the addition of an assistant producer. This will allow the festival to introduce additional components and types of performances and increase its capacity for fundraising.

London Heritage Council
$50,000 over one year to hire a full-time co-ordinator. This will allow this newly formed heritage umbrella group to provide better supervision to a granting program, improve marketing and enhance its organizational capacity.

London Sports Council/London Legion Track Alliance c/o London Sports Council
$130,000 over one year to install indoor track and sport court flooring in the Western Fair agri-plex building. This renovated complex will be a multi-sport facility offering track and field, volleyball, basketball and more.

Mud Creek Collaborative c/o Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
$69,700 over one year for a co-ordinator and computer equipment to implement a community-based watershed strategy for the Mud Creek watershed in the Township of Zorra and East Zorra-Tavistock.

Municipality of Dutton/Dunwich
$31,400 over one year for walkways, a batting cage, baseball and swimming equipment. A safer walkway will be constructed in the Sons of Scotland Park and sports and recreation improved for the entire community, especially children.

Norwich Lawn Bowling Club c/o Ontario Lawn Bowls Association
$12,000 over one year to replace the greens' backboards and repair the sprinkler system in order to keep the bowling green in good and safe playing condition for its members and tournament events.

Otter Valley Rod and Gun Club
$50,000 over ten months to make this Straffordville club's facilities safer, more accessible and more energy-efficient. Pond clean-up will also be carried out to enhance the quality of the club's spring fishing derby for youth.

Oxford Creative Connections Inc.
$81,500 over three years for part-time staff, administration and program costs to launch a new organization that will provide a focal point and co-ordinating body for cultural activities taking place across Oxford County.

Oxford Winds
$14,300 over one year to purchase specialized instruments to improve the quality of performance for this Oxford County instrumental group.

Port Stanley Skating Club
$7,900 over one year for the purchase of skating costumes that will be used at the club's annual carnival. Office equipment will also be obtained to help streamline communications between the club, parents and skaters.

Regroupement Multiculturel Francophone de London
$14,900 over six months to purchase supplies and office equipment, which will enable this Francophone organization to successfully and efficiently carry out its activities.

La Ribambelle centre préscolaire francophone de London
$60,000 over three months to provide training to board members, instruction to child-care workers and develop a website. This will enable the organization to grow, providing more effective French-language services and child care to the community.

SPEBSQSA London Chapter Incorporated
$9,100 over one year to install a new roof, upgrade the hot water system and repair the back exit of this barbershop singing group's club house. This will allow members to continue their choral activities in more pleasant and comfortable surroundings.

St. Thomas-Elgin Children's Water Festival c/o Kettle Creek Conservation Authority
$49,500 over six months for a festival co-ordinator, tents and volunteer support. These will help the organizing committee plan and present a four-day water festival that teaches students in grades 3 to 5 about water conservation and protection.

Sudanese Canadian Community of London Ontario and Area
$20,000 over one year to replace furniture and equipment that was lost in a fire. This will allow the organization to begin providing social and sporting programs again to over 200 members of the Sudanese community.

Tillsonburg District Craft Guild
$15,000 over one year to make washrooms in the Station Arts Centre fully accessible so that community members of all abilities can attend art classes and enjoy events and programs at that location.

Tillsonburg Minor Soccer Club
$50,000 over six months for field lighting at the Tillsonburg soccer complex to allow evening play. This will enable more community members of all ages, but especially adults, to take part in this healthy physical activity.

Township of Norwich
$35,000 over one year to make upgrades to the park in Springford. Worn-out fencing will be replaced, hand rails installed to make bleachers more accessible and new playground equipment added.

Trout Creek Collaborative c/o Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
$23,100 over one year to conduct community consultations and implement a community-based watershed strategy for the Trout Creek watershed in Oxford and Perth Counties. Another OTF grant will support this activity.

Vietnamese Outreach Project c/o John Howard Society of London and District
$90,000 over 15 months to conduct outreach activities and implement culturally appropriate services and programs for the Vietnamese community in Northeast London.

Woodstock Lawn Bowling Club c/o Ontario Lawn Bowls Association
$11,000 over one year for the purchase of a new greens mower and to buy materials necessary for a creative youth program to increase interest in the sport of lawn bowling by youth.

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July 1 deadline

The Community grants listed below were ratified on November 1, 2007

AIDS Committee of London
$96,800 over two years to help implement a youth peer education program. This will allow teams of peer educators to deliver presentations on HIV/AIDS and related sexual health topics to an estimated 500 students in Grades 7 to 9 per semester.

Amabile Choirs of London Canada
$53,600 over two years for the choirs to establish an office location and hire a part-time manager. These improvements will enhance the organizational structure, support the efforts of volunteers and increase the choirs' professionalism.

The ARTS Project
$32,000 over one year to install ramping and a fully accessible washroom. These upgrades will make the main floor gallery and theatre accessible to all members of the London community and help to promote cultural and artistic activities.

Association Canadienne-Française de l'Ontario, London-Sarnia
$32,000 over one year to help Francophones from ethnocultural communities in London and Middlesex develop entrepreneurial skills. Opportunities for self-employment will increase, enabling participants to better contribute to their economic well-being.

Canadian Red Cross Society St. Thomas Branch c/o Canadian Red Cross, Ontario Zone
$14,000 over one year to purchase emergency response equipment to rapidly deploy, set-up and run a shelter for 100 people. This will allow the organization to increase disaster response capacity in both London/Middlesex and St. Thomas/Elgin.

Cantorion Cymraeg - Canada/Canadian Welsh Singers Inc.
$2,900 over one year to purchase new sheet music for this choral group in London. The new acquisitions will enhance the range of music available to the choir and enable it to broaden its repertoire.

Colombo Club of Oxford
$40,000 to replace the aging roof of the club's hall in Beachville, which will allow it to continue operating safely and providing recreational activities for its members and the entire community.

Elgin Elder Abuse Resource Committee c/o Victim Services Elgin
$58,000 over two years for a computer, supplies and a staff member who will develop, co-ordinate and implement a service response to any difficulty, including abuse and neglect experienced by older adults in Elgin County.

Glanworth Recreation Association Inc.
$13,500 over one year to purchase and install a home-run fence and warning track at the association's ball park, thus allowing the club to offer safer and more enjoyable minor ball programs to its members.

Ilderton Agricultural Society
$10,000 over one year to assist with the purchase of a tractor, which will be used by the society's volunteers to maintain the grounds for many agricultural and community events.

Lions Club of Straffordville
$13,000 over one year for upgrades to the community centre concession booth and washrooms in Straffordville, which will improve the safety of the facilities and ensure that they remain open for the entire community to utilize.

London Police Boys Band 65th Anniversary Project c/o Kiwanis Music Festival of London Inc.
$29,800 over one year to publish and distribute a history of the London Police Boys Club Band created in the 1940s for boys whose fathers were overseas. The books will be distributed to libraries and schools, increasing interest in local history.

London Ski Club
$35,000 over one year for advertising and promotions that will raise awareness of skiing as a healthy, alternative winter recreational program for people of all ages.

London Titans c/o Ontario Basketball Association
$4,000 over one year to purchase four shot clocks and help the club implement international Basketball Federation rules and conform to Basketball Ontario standards in London.

Mindyourmind.ca and Problem Gambling Services c/o Family Service Thames Valley
$29,000 over one year for collaboration between mindyourmind.ca and Addictions Services Thames Valley. An interactive on-line tool will be developed and will increase youth's awareness of the physiological effects and dangers of gambling.

Mother Reach London & Middlesex c/o Middlesex-London Health Unit
$55,500 over two years to operate a weekly two-hour drop-in for women and their families at risk of experiencing postpartum depression. Women will receive support, information and meet others experiencing similar challenges.

Museum of Ontario Archaeology 
$51,300 over two years for a community development officer who will promote and expand the museum's education programs to schools and tour operators throughout Southwestern Ontario.

Northwest London Resource Centre c/o Sherwood Library
$30,000 over one year to help retain an executive director who will enable the centre to move forward in implementing its strategic plan, delivering needed services to the residents of Northwest London.

Ontario Senior Games
$48,000 over one year to help promote, equip and operate the Ontario Senior Games - Actifest 2008 event being hosted in London for 1,500 seniors.

Optimist Club of West Lorne Inc.
$60,000 over one year to install a splash pad for the children of West Elgin. This fully accessible play structure will encourage young people to be involved in physical activity and recreation.

Oxford Attack c/o Ontario Basketball Association
$3,000 over one year to purchase shot clocks and help the club implement international Basketball Federation rules and conform to Basketball Ontario standards.

Polish Canadian Club (London)
$45,000 to replace the roof on the club's hall on Hill Street, which will permit the Polish-Canadian community of London and area to enjoy programming and social gatherings in a safer environment.

The London Co-operative Store
$32,400 to replace aging freezer units with a walk-in freezer, which will significantly reduce power consumption and help the co-op continue to provide healthy, natural food to its members.

The Naval Officers Association of Canada (London Branch) c/o The Naval Officers Association of Canada
$2,000 to edit a book outlining the recent history of the HMCS Prevost in London. Copies of the book will be provided to libraries, helping to increase interest in the history of the Canadian Forces.

The Navy League of Canada (London Branch) c/oThe Navy League of Canada (Ontario Division)
$25,000 over one year to replace a number of outdated musical instruments. This will allow more young people to be involved in the band programs which include performances for military organizations and the general public.

Pride London Festival
$25,000 over one year to hire a program co-ordinator who will help promote the 10-day Pride London festival. The event will raise the visibility of the GLBTQ2 community in London and generate community awareness of sexual and gender diversity.

Qulibie Gabriel Church
$32,500 over one year to replace the roof of this building, which is used for community activities including the delivery of a meal program in London.

Royal Canadian Legion Tavistock Memorial Branch (Ont. No 518)
$9,100 over one year to replace the asphalt roof and the emergency fire door. These upgrades will help to improve safety and ensure the community's continued use of the facility for meetings and recreation.

Royal Canadian Legion, Port Burwell, Ontario No. 524
$15,000 over one year to replace the roof on the Port Burwell Legion and its attached patio. This repair will improve the facility, making it more comfortable for community social and recreational events.

Schizophrenia Society of Ontario - London and Southwest Region c/o Schizophrenia Society of Ontario
$28,000 over two years to implement a volunteer training program. New volunteers will then help provide enhanced services in more rural communities, empowering families and raising community awareness of this illness.

St. Andrew's Society of London and Scottish Social Club
$42,700 over one year for equipment, seed and a water line to assist in the maintenance of six new soccer fields being built in Thames Centre next to Fanshawe Lake. This will help to promote recreation and healthy physical activity for all ages.

Tavistock Minor Ball Association
$75,000 over six months to replace the baseball diamond lights in Queen's Park in Tavistock. This is part of a phased plan to upgrade recreational facilities in the municipality, encouraging sports and physical activity for children and youth.

The Optimist Club of North Dorchester
$40,000 to renovate the kitchen of the Optimist Hall in Dorchester so that all equipment is safer and the hall may be rented and used more often for recreation and community events.

The River Project c/o Forest City Gallery
$30,000 over one year to produce a book of essays, sketches and photographs. It will profile works by 19 artists that were inspired by the Thames River in London and help to raise awareness of the cultural and historical significance of the area.

The Secrets of Radar Museum
$80,000 over two years to improve the organizational capacity of the London museum by hiring a director-curator. This will help protect artifacts and promote community awareness of this unique element of our history.

The Unity Peace Labyrinth c/o St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre
$7,900 over one year to install irrigation equipment, permanent signage and white stone dust in the labyrinth. These upgrades will support volunteers who maintain the path system, helping to preserve it for meditation and community enjoyment.

The Woodstock Curling Club
$40,000 over one year to replace the roof of the curling club. This repair will enable the club to sustain sports and recreational activities for members of all ages in the communities of Oxford County.

Tillsonburg Aquatic Torpedoes Inc.
$10,000 over one year to help purchase a wireless timing/training system. This tool will improve accuracy and effectiveness, allowing the club to run bigger meets and helping the coaching staff to improve training sessions.

Victim Services of Middlesex County
$9,500 over one year to purchase display equipment and supplies for use during activities and public education events. These materials will enable the organization to provide more effective service to victims of crime and tragic circumstances.

Woodstock Fanshawe Singers
$34,000 over one year to help organize and hold the annual Kaleid Choral Festival. The event enables amateur singers, audiences, high school students and teachers to participate in performances and workshops with international artists and clinicians.

YMCA of London
$25,000 over one year to help with the costs of installing an elevator in the Bob Hayward Y in East London. This will upgrade the facility, making it fully accessible for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy programs and recreation.

Youth Opportunities Unlimited
$75,000 over one year to renovate and upgrade a commercial kitchen in a downtown London building. This will allow the organization to produce commercial food products, which will provide young people with skill development and employment training.

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March 1 deadline

Ratified by the Ontario Trillium Foundation Board of Directors on June 28, 2007

B.A.R.K. c/o Craigwood Youth Services
$113,800 over 18 months to pair youth from Craigwood's residential program in Middlesex County with puppies to be trained as service dogs. This will benefit the young people involved and provide more trained dogs for people with disabilities.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of St. Thomas-Elgin
$62,000 over three years to implement a Go Girls program that encourages participation in physical activity, healthy eating choices and the development of a positive self-image among girls aged 12 to 14 years in St. Thomas-Elgin.

Canadian Association of Student Activity Advisors
$25,000 over six months to support volunteers hosting a national youth leadership event to be held in London in September 2007. In addition to attending workshops, young people at the event will leave a legacy through their involvement in community.

Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association
$72,000 over one year toward the cost of building upgrades, which will improve public accessibility to this rare heritage resource in Tillsonburg and surrounding communities.

Carolinian Canada Coalition and Thames Canadian Heritage River Committee Collaborative c/o Carolinian Canada Coalition
$15,000 over one year to publish the Thames Watershed Landscape Guide, a comprehensive description of the natural heritage and history of the Thames watershed. (Additional grants of $10,000 to Essex, Kent and Lambton area and $10,000 to Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth area will support this activity.)

Centre communautaire régional de London
$75,000 over two years to implement a French-language program for Francophone children and youth in London, which will help them prepare for school.

Columbus Club of St. Thomas
$14,700 over one year to replace the roof and air conditioning unit at the club. This will improve the safety and comfort for the 19 charitable and not-for-profit groups that use this community space.

Corporation of the Township of Southwold
$35,000 over one year to provide new playground equipment and promote safe and healthy activity for children and youth at the Keystone Complex Centre.

Elgin Rowing Club
$11,200 over one year to purchase a portable docking system for the rowing program and ensure that children and youth from St. Thomas and area are able to safely launch boats.

Festa Italiana c/o Italian Seniors Project
$30,000 over one year to hire a co-ordinator to grow the festival and broaden their funding support. Festa Italiana is a three-day annual event held at the Covent Garden Market in downtown London.

Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes
$45,800 over one year to furnish the new donation centre in London, which includes a used bookstore and work connect program. The centre will provide employment and training and be partially funded through the sale of donated goods.

Home County Folk League
$2,000 over one year to purchase tents that will protect performance areas and sound equipment from weather conditions during London's free Home County Folk Festival held annually in July.

Hutton House Association for Adults with Disabilities
$15,000 over one year to upgrade washroom facilities and improve accessibility of the building for persons with disabilities in London.

London Concert Band
$8,800 over one year to purchase instruments and equipment and support the band in delivering free public concerts to the general public and to seniors living in long-term care facilities.

London Museum School c/o The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
$27,000 over three years to hire a part-time co-ordinator for the London Museum School program. The initiative partners local museums with school boards to provide a week-long, on-site unique learning experience for elementary school children.

London Rep Hockey Association Inc.
$30,000 over one year to support the skill development of volunteer trainers and coaches. New systems for communications and records management will be also be purchased for the association's volunteer program.

London Squash Racquets Club
$23,000 over six months to improve the club's accessibility for spectators of all ages and repair  two court areas, which will improve the playing experience for all participants.

Municipality of Southwest Middlesex
$15,000 over one year for new, safe playground equipment in Wardsville's Little Kin Park. The equipment will be installed by local volunteers and will complement the park's well-used picnic shelter.

Muslim Association of Canada, London Chapter c/o The Muslim Association of Canada
$50,000 over one year to provide staffing at the centre, which will enable the organization's volunteers to assess needs and develop plans for future sustainability and programming.

Seniors Community Association c/o Boys' & Girls' Club of London
$25,000 over eight months to implement phase II of the Working Together to Support London Seniors plan. This involves identifying goals, responsibilities, timelines and resources needed to improve senior services in London and Middlesex.

Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society
$25,000 over two years for supplies to get the historic steam-powered locomotive railway back in operation across Southwestern Ontario. Tourism will increase and the local economy will be enhanced in St. Thomas and area.

Sparta Community Society
$60,000 over one year to upgrade the historic Sparta Community Hall, improving its accessibility and fire safety. It will be used as a community library with access to high-speed Internet and continue to provide space for many community groups.

St. Sava Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church
$5,800 over one year to purchase authentic dance costumes from Serbia. This will enable the London-based folklore group Svetosavlje to expand its repertoire of region-specific dances and perform on tours and at many cultural festivals.

St. Thomas Photographic Guild c/o Canadian Association for Photographic Art
$13,200 over one year to purchase new equipment, which will help guild members to increase their technical skills and continue to provide photo shows to audiences in the community.

Theatre London
$75,000 over one year toward the cost of purchasing and installing a new database management system. Funding will enhance the technological capacity of this professional theatre group that serves over 95,000 patrons in the London-Middlesex area.

Theatre Tillsonburg
$12,700 over one year to purchase circuit lighting equipment and complete upgrades to the building to improve safety for volunteers and audience members.

Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness in London
$89,200 over two years to create and implement a resource development plan. This will increase the agency's capacity to support volunteers and the more than 700 adults facing homelessness.

Women's Rural Resource Centre, Strathroy and Area
$150,000 over three years to increase its fundraising capacity so that the organization can provide more outreach to rural Middlesex and increase awareness of violence prevention through public education.

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