By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on March 18, 2022.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com
The Friends Society of the Sir Alexander Galt Museum and Archives is looking to expand their society membership along with their board of directors.
“We encourage diversity of applicants to be part of our board of directors,” said Glenn Coulter, society president.
He said they are registered under the Societies Act of Alberta, as well as being a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency. They have been operating for the last 22 years focusing on youth education programs.
“In the early days we actually ran the gift shop at the Galt, a lot of our contributions to the Galt have been in the purchase of different kinds of supplies and items for educational instruction of students,” said Coulter.
He said for many years they contributed significantly to the busing of students from elementary schools to the Galt for educational programming.
“That busing program ended about four years ago, but up until that time that was one of our main contributions, towards the cost of those buses to haul students back and forth from the school to the Galt,” said Coulter.
He said one of the major contributions they make to the Galt is by applying for grants that are available from various organizations whether they be government or private sources.
“Often the Galt itself, because it’s a city entity, is not eligible to apply for those grants… so we worked with the Galt to write up grant proposals and then they go in under the friends name,” said Coulter.
He added that they have helped the Galt with their Blackfoot language program by providing them with the workbooks and flashcards used in the program.
“Recently we also funded the Friend’s Newcomer Outreach program, so if there are immigrants that come to the Lethbridge community they will receive a package from the Galt and from the Friends, that sort of helps welcome them to the community and tell them about the various programs offered at the Galt,” said Coulter.
He said they also created the Friends of the Galt Endowment Fund held within the Community Foundation of Southwestern Alberta, which is jointly managed by the board of directors of the Galt Museum and the board of directors of the Friends Society of the Sir Alexander Galt Museum and Archives.
Their membership fee is $10 for individuals, $15 for family and $100 for corporate membership.
For more information visit https://friends.galtmuseum.com/memberships
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