Bright Things on the Horizon for ARTCF
Robert Michon | Communications Specialist , ARTA
The past two years have been a difficult time for everyone , including charities like the Alberta Retired Teachers Charitable Foundation ( ARTCF ) and its many partners . Hosting events has been all but impossible , donations suffered as uncertainty became the norm , and the resulting downsizing at charitable organizations meant that many staff moved on , removing those critical points of contact . In short , the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to make connections , which is a critical component of any successful charitable organization .
While the pandemic in Alberta hasn ’ t completely faded from our lives , increased vaccination rates and widespread safety protocols mean that Albertans have begun to connect safely again . It ’ s hard to say when we ’ ll be out of the woods completely , but this increased ability to connect has been great news for charities , including ARTCF and its partners .
Events aren ’ t a guarantee yet — anything can happen , as we all know by now — but ARTCF has a few exciting opportunities on the horizon . First , the foundation has been approved for a casino licence from Alberta Gaming , Liquor and Cannabis , which will create a new stream of funding to go toward ARTCF ’ s charitable efforts . The casino will be hosted in Edmonton in the upcoming year .
On June 16 , 2022 , ARTCF will finally , after two years of postponements , host its annual golf tournament at the Ponoka Golf Course . This longawaited event will raise money for the foundation and is always an incredible amount of fun for all involved . A special “ thank you ” goes to the sponsors who have continued to support the event throughout all the uncertainty of the last two years .
Donations to ARTCF are essential to the work the foundation does in bringing proper health‐care , housing , and ESL education opportunities to Alberta ’ s seniors . If you ’ ve been wanting to support that goal but don ’ t have the funds to give , consider donating your time to one of these events instead . Look for calls for volunteers in the months to come in ARTAfacts and future issues of news & views .
news & views WINTER 2021 | 13