By Angela Brown

New gazebo for BTEC

Aug 31, 2017 | 4:44 PM

The Battlefords Trade and Education Centre welcomed a brand new gazebo for the facility’s outdoor recreation area in a special ceremony on Thursday.

Wawanesa Insurance provided the funding for the project at BTEC’s facility with a $5,000 gift.

BTEC executive director Mona Leece said the gazebo will provide participants a place to enjoy the outdoors out of the sun.

“I think it is going to be a great addition to BTEC,” she said. “A lot of our participants have certain types of [medications] that do not permit them to be in the sunlight. So just having a shaded area for them to come and sit and relax will benefit them.”

Territorial Youth Services, which is run out of Territorial Drive Alliance Church in North Battleford, built the gazebo for BTEC around the middle of August.

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Leece said the donation from Wawanesa came about after North Battleford Agencies recommended BTEC for the funding.

“They had called us and said Wawanesa would like to donate $5,000. Do you feel you have a need for it? I talked to the clients and staff and they really wanted a gazebo. So that’s what we spent the money on. It’s a great gift,” Leece said.

Wawanesa Insurance business development representative Darlene Nadeau said Wawanesa was glad to help with the project.    

“We’re very happy to support an organization like this that gives to the community so much,” she said, adding the project was “near and dear” to the hearts of North Battleford Agencies in the local community.

BTEC will celebrate its 50th anniversary in October. The non-profit organization offers programs for adult clients with intellectual disabilities in the Battlefords.

Also on Thursday, Notre Dame Catholic School in North Battleford showed its support to BTEC by volunteering to help with the facility’s activities.

The school’s principal, Allan Senger, said 25 staff members took part. Some helped with clients’ art projects, played badminton in the BTEC day programs, served snacks, or joined in outdoor walks.

“The theme for our school division is serve,” Senger said. “We were looking for a place to come where we could offer services, and this is where we chose.”

“It’s a very nice facility. I’m really impressed,” he added. “When you come here and see all the smiles on their faces, it makes it worthwhile.”

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW