City of Powell River mayor and councillors have been invited to participate in an inclusive series of activities for people with disabilities.
Lilla Tipton, executive director of inclusion Powell River, told city councillors at a recent committee of the whole meeting, that the organization is now 60 years old.
“It’s a very grassroots organization founded by families that wanted to provide support and offer opportunity in the community for their children and loved ones,” she said. “They wanted to make sure those children had opportunities here and didn’t get sent to an institution.”
Tipton said the organization has changed its name to inclusion Powell River, along with its parent organization inclusion BC, for various reasons.
“We’ve had many name changes over the years,” she said. “Each time it’s an indication of a change in our fundamental belief in how we want to be perceived by the community and how that community understands what we do.
“Over the years we have provided a lot of important services. Those services are beginning to change into more community-based services that support people to be more included in community.”
Diversity is one of the most important factors, Tipton said. It creates vitality, passion and provides strength as a community that’s critical, she added.
“This year, in celebration of our 60th anniversary, we are beginning a job creation project,” she said. “We are putting together a project that is going to cost us about $122,000. The job creation program is going to put in $67,000. The balance of that, around $55,000, we are looking to raise internally with our own fundraising, but we are also looking externally for sponsors.”
Tipton said the project would be very inclusive of the people the organization supports. They will be involved in producing the artwork, videos, photography that helps demonstrate to the community the work the organization does.
The projects will begin on September 7 in conjunction with World Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day. The organization’s annual general meeting will be October 2. A number of people will be honoured, including some of the organization’s founding members. World Disability Day is December 3 and inclusion Powell River is hoping to work with a number of organizations in the community to have some fun activities, such as participants operating a wheelchair or being blindfolded to experience sight impairment.
The project will culminate with an inclusion festival in February 2015. There will be people from outside the community and from Powell River participating in theatre, storytelling and dance. There will also be a family day on February 9.
Partnerships developed so far include Vancouver Island University, inclusion BC, Model Community Project for Persons with Disabilities, School District 47 and Vancouver Coastal Health.
“I’m inviting your partnership as well,” Tipton said. One project she thought the city might be interested in is updating the history book written by Gerry Gray in 1993. The organization’s activities during the past 20 years will be added and the book will be republished. They are looking at a $4,000 cost for writing and publication.
Another suggestion would be helping travel costs to bring an inclusion band in from Campbell River.
“They play some fabulous music and it will be a really fun evening,” she said. Theatre Terrific from Vancouver, working with people with developmental disabilities for 15 years, has also been invited for the festival. There is a $2,500 cost for travel to Powell River.
Councillor Chris McNaughton asked Tipton if her organization had applied for grants-in-aid from the city or the regional district. She said it had not.
Mayor David Formosa said inclusion Powell River is an organization that is as deserving as any group. He said the organization strives to provide the best lives possible for people with challenges.
“We’ve always been supportive,” he said. “We need to be part of this. Some items we can handle, maybe one or two, and support it. This is community and I’m proud of that whole group.”
Mac Fraser, chief administrative officer, told Tipton that grants-in-aid have to be submitted by the end of September.
