MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Community Foundation released its 2017 Vital Signs report Thursday afternoon.
The report compiles statistics and information relevant to the Medicine Hat community.
In past years, the report has focused heavily on the statistics including several charts, graphs and short explanations of them.
This year, the publication is taking a different approach.
Instead of many info graphics, they are including human interest pieces and stories on how grants from the foundation are helping people in Medicine Hat.
During the annual luncheon launch, several of those people shared their stories.
Dave and Angie Noelle told the audience of dignitaries, philanthropists and businesses persons about their experience.
The couple explained how they were business owners, saving up for a house, donating to charity and being involved in their community.
When they moved to Medicine Hat, a serious car crash changed all that leaving them both unable to work.
“Over the course of a few years, we lost all of our savings, our RSPs, our landholdings, business, we had to let everyone go,” Dave explained. “[Now] basically many months we’re not even sure how to pay for rent or food.”
The struggles to make ends meet have meant sacrificing many social activities, and even getting their two children involved in sports has been out of reach.
The family sought help from KidSport after their son mentioned he doesn’t have a way of being involved in the community.
The grant allowed them to get their son involved in soccer, and now Dave is looking at volunteer coaching when he’s able to.
“We can’t even say how meaningful it’s been that we can put our kids in a sport, they can be part of a team and they can learn all those character building things,” said Dave. “For us in this particular situation, it’s really a huge thing for our family, it means more than we can even say.”
The Community Foundation has supported KidSport by providing grant money to the organization.
It’s stories like these that fill the pages of the 2017 Vital Signs Report.
The goal is to have the stories resonate with the people of Medicine Hat, and the foundation hopes it will translate into more donations to local charities.
“It speaks to the community that we love and call home there’s an opportunity for people to see it in a slightly different way or at least to be impacted by it in a slightly different way,” said Jace Anderson, project coordinator for the 2017 Vital Signs report.
“We thought those stories, and how people are finding their sense of belonging and inclusion in our communities, would give the most impact and start the most conversations and be the greatest call to action,” said director Warren Stark with the Community Foundation of Southeast Alberta.
This is the 11th annual report the organization has released, CFSEA has been operating in Medicine Hat since 1992.
To see this year’s Vital Signs report click HERE.
