February 2023

Ratepayers’ Donations

Did You Know …. that the Muskoka Ratepayers’ Association makes donations to support the youth of our community?

For many years the Muskoka Ratepayers supported the youth of the community by awarding bursaries to students graduating from high school in Bracebridge or Gravenhurst, who resided in the Township of Muskoka Lakes. Sadly our bursaries often went unclaimed. At the Annual General Meeting in July 2021, with the support of the membership, the MRA by-laws were expanded to include other ways to support the youth. Over the past year and a half the Muskoka Ratepayers have gone to the community to find new ways to support our youth.

In 2021 donations were presented to the Muskoka Lakes Public Library which allowed the library to buy a series of “decodeable” books to help those who are struggling learning to read, the Port Carling Skating Club who put their donation towards ice rental time, Trillium Lakelands District School Board for the healthy snack program at Glen Orchard Public School and the West Muskoka Food Bank.

President Liz Denyar presenting the donation cheque to CEO/Chief Librarian Cathy Duck.

In 2022 donations were given to the Muskoka Lakes Public Library to sponsor a “storybook time” at the Bala library in the summer of 2023, Trillium Lakeslands District School Board for the healthy snack program at Watt Public School and the West Muskoka Food Bank.

President Liz Denyar presenting the donation cheque to Kristen Thompson of the West Muskoka Food Bank.

The Board of the Muskoka Ratepayers are always looking for new ways to support the youth of the Township of Muskoka Lakes. We would welcome any suggestions on different ways to do so.

Chief Librarian Cathy Duck

West Muskoka Food Bank Operations Manager Kristen Thompson