Four new board directors are joining the Squamish Community Foundation (SCF).
The SCF announced on Feb. 12 that community members Ron Sander, Darren Roberts, Deidre Plaatjes and Larry McLennan have joined the board.
Established in 2003, the SCF is an independent, charitable organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life in Squamish. The group invests money into endowment funds and the interest earned is granted to qualifying community groups.
During the past 10 years, the SCF has granted a total of $188,000 back into Squamish and also produced the Vital Signs report, which was last published in 2014.
The new foursome possess a variety of skills and experience.
Sander completed a three-year-term as a councillor with the District of Squamish and is the vice-president, major project and environment of Neptune Bulk Terminals in North Vancouver. Roberts is the publisher of The Squamish Chief, the vice-president of Whistler Publishing Partnerships and spent four years with the Community Foundation of Whistler. Plaatjes works at Quest University and has volunteered with the chamber of commerce and Big Brothers/Big Sisters; she also sits on the board of the Squamish Historical Society. McLennan is a professional accountant who is currently the treasurer of Sea to Sky Forestry and a member of the Squamish Lions Club.
“The Squamish Community Foundation is able to address long-term community challenges by building permanent endowment funds,” foundation chair Douglas Hackett said in a news release. “I would like to see the Squamish Community Foundation double the amount we are able to grant to the community every year for the next three years. To do that, we will need to work collaboratively with individuals and businesses in our community to build endowments that will continue to enrich quality of life in Squamish into the future.”
“One of our steps to achieving our goals is to increase the visibility of the foundation, so please don’t be shy if I or another board member give you a call to have a quick chat over coffee,” said Roberts. “We would like to see everyone take pride in the fact that as we build our endowment, we also have the opportunity to enrich our community.”
For more information on the SCF, visit www.squamishfoundation.com.
