RBC presents After School Grant to Kemptville Youth Centre

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Joseph Morin

Click to Enlarge
Staff from the Kemptville branch of RBC dropped by the Kemptville Youth Centre last week to present their annual donation of a $20,000 After School Grant to staff, board members and youth.

Submitted

Staff from the Kemptville branch of RBC dropped by the Kemptville Youth Centre last week to present their annual donation of a $20,000 After School Grant to staff, board members and youth.

EMC News - The Kemptville Youth Centre enjoys tremendous support from the North Grenville community.

One example of the kind of work the youth centre is able to do thanks to support from local business is its after-school program.

Last week the youth centre celebrated the arrival of its annual grant from RBC. The bank has been a partner with youth centre since 2006. On Thursday evening, Jan. 12 the youth centre hosted its regular Cook Night. This is a night when youth centre members get together to prepare a home cooked meal and spend the supper hour eating and sharing their time with each other. It was also the perfect time to present the youth centre with RBC's annual After School Grant funding of $20,000.

Joining in with the Cook Night activities gave RBC staff a fun way to see what the youth centre is all about.

"They thought it would be a neat way to help and be part of what the youth do," said Stacey Tenbult, the centre's executive director. While there, everyone was given a tour of the entire youth centre at 5 Oxford Street West.

"I think they were impressed," said Tenbult, judging from the reaction to the youth centre for the RBC staff.

Many of those same visitors that evening had also taken part in a painting bee at the youth centre. During the summer when the new youth centre was being refurbished, about 20 members of the RBC staff spent a day painting the centre's recently renovated basement. The Thursday visit was for many of those volunteers, the first opportunity they had to have a look at what the centre's staff and members had done with the room. It is also where the centre's kitchen is located.

RBC staff helped out in the kitchen, enjoyed the meal and helped with the clean up afterward.

"Our visit to the youth centre during their Cook Night was to help celebrate the After School Grant with the youth in a fun way. Along with myself, was Sherron Walls, senior account manager, Sandra Vogrig, mobile senior account manager, and Mandy Riley, client assistance officer. The evening was a great opportunity for staff to see the operation of the KYC first hand during one of their programs, and to see the new location renovated," said RBC Kemptville branch manager, Stacey Seymour.

This year's After School Grant brings the total amount donated from the RBC to the Kemptville Youth Centre to $166,500 beginning in 2006.

"We are very proud that the RBC After School grants continue to help important grassroots organizations, like the Kemptville Youth Centre as they provide terrific activities that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and grow, while alleviating some of the pressures for working families in this community," said Seymour.

"We know that kids who participate in these programs have enhanced social skills and show increased motivation to excel in school. Simply put, helping children learn is one of the best investments we can make."

The after school program engages children and youth between the ages of nine and 18 in a wide range of activities, weekly music instruction, nutrition as well as access to computers.

There is a leadership training component built into the program and program members are encouraged to help out with youth inspired community projects.

RBC has been a continuous supporter of the Kemptville Youth Centre and their ongoing support assists the centre in offering programming Monday to Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. after the school day has ended.

joe.morin@metroland.com