2012 Nominee Bios / Overviews Not-for-Profit of the Year Award
This award will be presented to an outstanding not-for-profit organization that has developed programs, services, events and or campaigns in order to support the needs of the community, and successfully raise funds and or awareness of the missions and goals of the organization. This could include: shelters, charities, services clubs and or hospitals. This award recognizes the contribution that Not-For-Profit Organizations make to the County of Haliburton.
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Community Living Haliburton County
Community Living Haliburton County is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing services to Haliburton County adults who have an intellectual disability, and their families, for over 50 years. The organization was founded in 1958 as a volunteer organization by parents who wanted their children to have the opportunity to be part of their community, and have as many skills as possible. At that time, children with intellectual disabilities were not eligible for school services and there was no public funding to support them.
Community Living Haliburton County has evolved to an organization receiving approximately $1.1M annually from the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. These funds provide services based on individual goals, plans, and dreams and may include support: to plan for a meaningful transition to post-secondary life; to live independently or with others in the community; to participate in work, volunteer and leisure activities; to be included as full citizens of their community.
Approximately 90% of the funding remains in the community as wages, and goods and services purchased locally. Community Living employs 23 people and currently provides services to 50 adults in Haliburton County.
Community Living is a registered charity, raising funds throughout the year through community events and initiatives, to enhance the services they provide.
Haliburton County Public Library
The Haliburton County Public Library has eight dynamic library branches in the four municipalities of Haliburton County. It employs 25 people from the local area.
There are more than 45,000 items housed in the eight branches for the public to borrow for free. With a fully automated system the library is able to analyze and to respond to the needs of each community as well as move materials quickly.
The library is constantly finding ways to make new formats available to the public as technology changes. To that end, the library now offers e-books and audio books to download, as well as many subscription databases for research purposes. These items can be borrowed or searched 24/7 from their website.
With a few adjustments, the library has been able to escalate the amount of materials it adds to the collection each year with an increase of 10,000 items since 2008. For these reasons and more the library has seen circulation of materials go up 100% over the last three years and a 50% increase in active card holders. Due to this success, the library is now involved in more than 30 community partnerships.
The library system contributes to the economic health of the area by giving free access to computers and job searching as well as providing printing, faxing, and resume help. The community library as a destination stimulates the local economy by providing yet another reason to venture into the town where the library branch and its services are located.
Haliburton Highlands Museum
The Haliburton Highlands Museum is a not-for-profit facility that exists under the auspices of the Municipality of Dysart et al and serves all of Haliburton County. The museum was originally started as a Centennial project. Located just east of Haliburton Village in Glebe Park, the museum is home to over 18,000 ‘pieces’ of historical treasures. The museum is run by two paid employees, a Board of Directors and a group of dedicated volunteers. Admission is by donation.
Located on just under 10 acres, the museum is composed of a number of buildings. The newly renovated Main Gallery is home to ever changing thematic exhibits that reflect the fascinating history of the County. The Reid House is located on the property and depicts pioneer life at the turn of the century. It is a fascinating look into another time. The Museum’s log buildings consist of a pioneer homestead, a barn and the very popular Blacksmith’s Forge.
The museum is enjoyed by all ages – as demonstrated by the attendance of close to 300 people at the 2011 Open House in July. In fact 2011 was a record breaking year, with close to 2,500 visitors overall. The Haliburton Highlands Museum is an irreplaceable part of the history of the community.
The Haliburton Highlands Museum – Your History, Your Museum!
Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (HHOA)
Founded in 1992, the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (HHOA) is a dynamic association committed to the sustainable management of the County’s natural resources. The Outdoors Association focuses its efforts on: promoting the outdoor sports of hunting and fishing; working towards improving wildlife and fish habitats; and educating members and the public on game and fish management.
Since 1998, the HHOA Hatchery has raised and stocked more than 450,000 fish in over 100 lakes across Haliburton County and surrounding areas. This significant contribution has been key to the rehabilitation of the Haliburton Gold and Kingscote strain of Lake Trout. Other projects have included: lake access clean up, shoal spawning and stream restoration, emergency deer feeding and a wildlife seeding program. The HHOA is supported through an active membership and the hard work and dedication of more than 50 volunteers. Community partnerships with the Fish & Wildlife Council, local municipalities, Ministry of Natural Resources, County of Haliburton and the Stewardship Council are integral to their success. In 2005, the HHOA formed a partnership with Fleming College’s Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment to launch a constructed wetlands project. Each year, the hatchery provides students with skill enhancement opportunities through co-op, internships and volunteering.
A signature tourist destination, the hatchery is open year round for daily tours. By maintaining healthy fish populations and well stocked lakes, the HHOA supports a vibrant tourist industry in Haliburton County. The HHOA hosts several popular annual events including the Wild Game Dinner, Lake Trout Conservation Dinner, fishing derbies and the Fishstock Music Festival. The grounds surrounding the hatchery are used by local soccer groups and have an archery course for all ages and skills levels.
Haliburton Highlands Nordic Trails Association (HHNTA)
Haliburton Highlands Nordic Trails Association was born from humble beginnings more than 30 years ago with a small group of local skiers creating cross country ski trails. Now, a dedicated group of volunteers donate thousands of hours to groom 90 km of high quality trails throughout the ski season and perform maintenance tasks in the off-season. Public access agreements with over 30 landowners, has helped HHNTA grow the trail system to be one of the best in Ontario. Through their efforts, an increasing number of local residents, cottagers and visitors are enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the area, and reaping the health benefits of cross country skiing – the most aerobically demanding sport of the winter season.
Maintaining four distinct ski trail systems, (Glebe Park, Pinestone & Resort Area, Moosewoods, and Twin Lakes) is a complex and costly endeavour that would be impossible without committed volunteers and funding support. Funding comes mainly from trail pass revenues: last season 1,800 day passes and 300 season passes were sold. In the past 3 years, HHNTA has invested $50,000 in new trail grooming equipment to support the train system – all made possible through support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Haliburton County Development Corporation and substantial skier donations.
HHNTA provides liability insurance for skiers on all their managed trails through their Cross Country Canada membership.
The impact of HHNTA’s activities extends far beyond the funds generated by trail pass revenues: accommodation revenue from the skiing/snowshoe tourist is estimated at $150,000; food and beverage sales are estimated at $170,000. All revenue generated by the association goes back into the community to purchase and maintain equipment and to improve the local ski trail system, which is already one of the best in Ontario.
Point in Time
Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents (PinT) is a charitable, not-for-profit organization serving children, youth and families in Haliburton County. Their mission is “to identify, provide and strengthen supports and services enabling residents of Haliburton County to function to their highest potential”.
At any point in time families may require support. PinT provides a wide range of supports including:
After-school and evening recreation in Cardiff, Wilberforce, Minden and Haliburton;
Low cost Summer Adventure Day Camps throughout the County (7 locations);
Summer camp and respite services;
Mental health counseling, play therapy, and crisis intervention; and
Youth justice services.
PinT has 28 staff and served 812 children and youth in 2010-2011. They offer high quality service with a client satisfaction rate of 90%.
PinT is a leader in the community and in the Province. PinT is one of four lead agencies for the Working Together for Kids Mental Health demonstration project. The organization has been working with a wide range of community partners including Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Haliburton Highlands Health Services, Family Health Team, Public Health and other organizations in demonstrating new and better ways of working together for better outcomes for kids. These successes are being studied so they can be replicated across the Province. With 1 in 5 children experiencing mental health issues, it’s critical that that people work together to get kids and families the help they need and that they work as a community to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
SIRCH Community Services
SIRCH Community Services has spent the past 22 years focusing on the development of programs and resources that help the residents of Haliburton County. Built on a philosophy of finding innovative and effective ways to meet needs, SIRCH supports, informs, builds skills, and inspires. Volunteers are the backbone of SIRCH, with nearly 100 dedicated people volunteering their time, expertise and energy to the programs and services provided… programs for children and families living in poverty, young pregnant women, families and individuals who have palliative illnesses, families who are bereaved, and others. Funded with federal, provincial and municipal funding, as well as fundraising, every penny is used with extreme care to make the biggest difference possible for families in this community.
SIRCH has had impact far beyond Haliburton County. Under the leadership of Gena Robertson (founding Executive Director) SIRCH has been an incubator for many programs that have been adopted by other organizations or become independent. SIRCH has also expanded its programs to neighbouring counties, contracting with agencies there to deliver needed services. It was through SIRCH that the nationally renowned School’s Cool program was born, as well as other resources and training that are used by organizations across Canada. The Executive Director chairs a national organization, and she as well as other staff provide their expertise to regional, provincial and local committees and networks in the areas of health, social services, poverty and planning.
SIRCH is invested in this community, and the community has certainly invested time, donations and expertise in SIRCH.
Volunteer Dental Outreach for Haliburton County – SIRCH Community Services
The mission of Volunteer Dental Outreach for Haliburton County is to provide free dental care to low income residents of Haliburton County. Local dental professionals, Dr. Bill Kerr and Lisa Stoughton announced November 2010 they would be willing to donate their time and skills to help members of the Haliburton community who could not afford dental care. Within months a complete dental clinic was built by local contractors who donated their time and local suppliers who sold materials at cost. The first patients were seen on May 19, 2011 and the facility is now used by six volunteer dentists and three dental hygienists on a regular basis to treat patients who are unable to afford dental care. VDOHC employs a dental assistant 24 hours per week. Patients are screened through SIRCH Community Services for financial need and booked for appointments at the clinic based on the urgency of their dental needs. In their first seven months of operation, the dental volunteers have treated 132 patients and have provided 470 appointments surpassing their original target of providing $150,000 of free dental treatments in a year.
VDOHC is managed by a committee of volunteers and has been operating as a program of SIRCH Community Services which was able to provide patient financial screening and legal status to sign a lease, accept donations from HCDC and HKPR Health unit, and provide charitable tax receipts to individual donors. VDOHC has recently incorporated as a Not-for-Profit and has applied for its own charitable status.
Close this browser window/tab to return to the Nomination Voting form
2012 Nominee Bios / Overviews
Not-for-Profit of the Year Award
This award will be presented to an outstanding not-for-profit organization that has developed programs, services, events and or campaigns in order to support the needs of the community, and successfully raise funds and or awareness of the missions and goals of the organization. This could include: shelters, charities, services clubs and or hospitals. This award recognizes the contribution that Not-For-Profit Organizations make to the County of Haliburton.
Community Living Haliburton County
Community Living Haliburton County is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing services to Haliburton County adults who have an intellectual disability, and their families, for over 50 years. The organization was founded in 1958 as a volunteer organization by parents who wanted their children to have the opportunity to be part of their community, and have as many skills as possible. At that time, children with intellectual disabilities were not eligible for school services and there was no public funding to support them.
Community Living Haliburton County has evolved to an organization receiving approximately $1.1M annually from the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. These funds provide services based on individual goals, plans, and dreams and may include support: to plan for a meaningful transition to post-secondary life; to live independently or with others in the community; to participate in work, volunteer and leisure activities; to be included as full citizens of their community.
Approximately 90% of the funding remains in the community as wages, and goods and services purchased locally. Community Living employs 23 people and currently provides services to 50 adults in Haliburton County.
Community Living is a registered charity, raising funds throughout the year through community events and initiatives, to enhance the services they provide.
Haliburton County Public Library
The Haliburton County Public Library has eight dynamic library branches in the four municipalities of Haliburton County. It employs 25 people from the local area.
There are more than 45,000 items housed in the eight branches for the public to borrow for free. With a fully automated system the library is able to analyze and to respond to the needs of each community as well as move materials quickly.
The library is constantly finding ways to make new formats available to the public as technology changes. To that end, the library now offers e-books and audio books to download, as well as many subscription databases for research purposes. These items can be borrowed or searched 24/7 from their website.
With a few adjustments, the library has been able to escalate the amount of materials it adds to the collection each year with an increase of 10,000 items since 2008. For these reasons and more the library has seen circulation of materials go up 100% over the last three years and a 50% increase in active card holders. Due to this success, the library is now involved in more than 30 community partnerships.
The library system contributes to the economic health of the area by giving free access to computers and job searching as well as providing printing, faxing, and resume help. The community library as a destination stimulates the local economy by providing yet another reason to venture into the town where the library branch and its services are located.
Haliburton Highlands Museum
The Haliburton Highlands Museum is a not-for-profit facility that exists under the auspices of the Municipality of Dysart et al and serves all of Haliburton County. The museum was originally started as a Centennial project. Located just east of Haliburton Village in Glebe Park, the museum is home to over 18,000 ‘pieces’ of historical treasures. The museum is run by two paid employees, a Board of Directors and a group of dedicated volunteers. Admission is by donation.
Located on just under 10 acres, the museum is composed of a number of buildings. The newly renovated Main Gallery is home to ever changing thematic exhibits that reflect the fascinating history of the County. The Reid House is located on the property and depicts pioneer life at the turn of the century. It is a fascinating look into another time. The Museum’s log buildings consist of a pioneer homestead, a barn and the very popular Blacksmith’s Forge.
The museum is enjoyed by all ages – as demonstrated by the attendance of close to 300 people at the 2011 Open House in July. In fact 2011 was a record breaking year, with close to 2,500 visitors overall. The Haliburton Highlands Museum is an irreplaceable part of the history of the community.
The Haliburton Highlands Museum – Your History, Your Museum!
Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (HHOA)
Founded in 1992, the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (HHOA) is a dynamic association committed to the sustainable management of the County’s natural resources. The Outdoors Association focuses its efforts on: promoting the outdoor sports of hunting and fishing; working towards improving wildlife and fish habitats; and educating members and the public on game and fish management.
Since 1998, the HHOA Hatchery has raised and stocked more than 450,000 fish in over 100 lakes across Haliburton County and surrounding areas. This significant contribution has been key to the rehabilitation of the Haliburton Gold and Kingscote strain of Lake Trout. Other projects have included: lake access clean up, shoal spawning and stream restoration, emergency deer feeding and a wildlife seeding program. The HHOA is supported through an active membership and the hard work and dedication of more than 50 volunteers. Community partnerships with the Fish & Wildlife Council, local municipalities, Ministry of Natural Resources, County of Haliburton and the Stewardship Council are integral to their success. In 2005, the HHOA formed a partnership with Fleming College’s Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment to launch a constructed wetlands project. Each year, the hatchery provides students with skill enhancement opportunities through co-op, internships and volunteering.
A signature tourist destination, the hatchery is open year round for daily tours. By maintaining healthy fish populations and well stocked lakes, the HHOA supports a vibrant tourist industry in Haliburton County. The HHOA hosts several popular annual events including the Wild Game Dinner, Lake Trout Conservation Dinner, fishing derbies and the Fishstock Music Festival. The grounds surrounding the hatchery are used by local soccer groups and have an archery course for all ages and skills levels.
Haliburton Highlands Nordic Trails Association (HHNTA)
Haliburton Highlands Nordic Trails Association was born from humble beginnings more than 30 years ago with a small group of local skiers creating cross country ski trails. Now, a dedicated group of volunteers donate thousands of hours to groom 90 km of high quality trails throughout the ski season and perform maintenance tasks in the off-season. Public access agreements with over 30 landowners, has helped HHNTA grow the trail system to be one of the best in Ontario. Through their efforts, an increasing number of local residents, cottagers and visitors are enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the area, and reaping the health benefits of cross country skiing – the most aerobically demanding sport of the winter season.
Maintaining four distinct ski trail systems, (Glebe Park, Pinestone & Resort Area, Moosewoods, and Twin Lakes) is a complex and costly endeavour that would be impossible without committed volunteers and funding support. Funding comes mainly from trail pass revenues: last season 1,800 day passes and 300 season passes were sold. In the past 3 years, HHNTA has invested $50,000 in new trail grooming equipment to support the train system – all made possible through support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Haliburton County Development Corporation and substantial skier donations.
HHNTA provides liability insurance for skiers on all their managed trails through their Cross Country Canada membership.
The impact of HHNTA’s activities extends far beyond the funds generated by trail pass revenues: accommodation revenue from the skiing/snowshoe tourist is estimated at $150,000; food and beverage sales are estimated at $170,000. All revenue generated by the association goes back into the community to purchase and maintain equipment and to improve the local ski trail system, which is already one of the best in Ontario.
Point in Time
Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents (PinT) is a charitable, not-for-profit organization serving children, youth and families in Haliburton County. Their mission is “to identify, provide and strengthen supports and services enabling residents of Haliburton County to function to their highest potential”.
At any point in time families may require support. PinT provides a wide range of supports including:
PinT has 28 staff and served 812 children and youth in 2010-2011. They offer high quality service with a client satisfaction rate of 90%.
PinT is a leader in the community and in the Province. PinT is one of four lead agencies for the Working Together for Kids Mental Health demonstration project. The organization has been working with a wide range of community partners including Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Haliburton Highlands Health Services, Family Health Team, Public Health and other organizations in demonstrating new and better ways of working together for better outcomes for kids. These successes are being studied so they can be replicated across the Province. With 1 in 5 children experiencing mental health issues, it’s critical that that people work together to get kids and families the help they need and that they work as a community to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
SIRCH Community Services
SIRCH Community Services has spent the past 22 years focusing on the development of programs and resources that help the residents of Haliburton County. Built on a philosophy of finding innovative and effective ways to meet needs, SIRCH supports, informs, builds skills, and inspires. Volunteers are the backbone of SIRCH, with nearly 100 dedicated people volunteering their time, expertise and energy to the programs and services provided… programs for children and families living in poverty, young pregnant women, families and individuals who have palliative illnesses, families who are bereaved, and others. Funded with federal, provincial and municipal funding, as well as fundraising, every penny is used with extreme care to make the biggest difference possible for families in this community.
SIRCH has had impact far beyond Haliburton County. Under the leadership of Gena Robertson (founding Executive Director) SIRCH has been an incubator for many programs that have been adopted by other organizations or become independent. SIRCH has also expanded its programs to neighbouring counties, contracting with agencies there to deliver needed services. It was through SIRCH that the nationally renowned School’s Cool program was born, as well as other resources and training that are used by organizations across Canada. The Executive Director chairs a national organization, and she as well as other staff provide their expertise to regional, provincial and local committees and networks in the areas of health, social services, poverty and planning.
SIRCH is invested in this community, and the community has certainly invested time, donations and expertise in SIRCH.
Volunteer Dental Outreach for Haliburton County – SIRCH Community Services
The mission of Volunteer Dental Outreach for Haliburton County is to provide free dental care to low income residents of Haliburton County. Local dental professionals, Dr. Bill Kerr and Lisa Stoughton announced November 2010 they would be willing to donate their time and skills to help members of the Haliburton community who could not afford dental care. Within months a complete dental clinic was built by local contractors who donated their time and local suppliers who sold materials at cost. The first patients were seen on May 19, 2011 and the facility is now used by six volunteer dentists and three dental hygienists on a regular basis to treat patients who are unable to afford dental care. VDOHC employs a dental assistant 24 hours per week. Patients are screened through SIRCH Community Services for financial need and booked for appointments at the clinic based on the urgency of their dental needs. In their first seven months of operation, the dental volunteers have treated 132 patients and have provided 470 appointments surpassing their original target of providing $150,000 of free dental treatments in a year.
VDOHC is managed by a committee of volunteers and has been operating as a program of SIRCH Community Services which was able to provide patient financial screening and legal status to sign a lease, accept donations from HCDC and HKPR Health unit, and provide charitable tax receipts to individual donors. VDOHC has recently incorporated as a Not-for-Profit and has applied for its own charitable status.