Grant Day 2023

On July 22nd 2023 Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation hosted its Annual Community Grant Day at Gordon Williams Rotary Park in Smithers, BC.

Each year, secular, not-for-profit organizations, and registered charities residing within the Bulkley Valley are eligible to apply for grants through the Community Grant Program, and grant recipients come to pick up their cheques and sign contracts at a public event hosted in Smithers, BC. Grant recipients can come and meet WCFC’s Board of Directors, learn about the community forest, and get a photo taken for their organization.

This year, WCFC combined the Grant Day with an Open House so that citizens could learn more about the community forest. As well, the Smithers Volunteer Fire Department came and set up their Wildland Fire Response Trailer and Structural Protection Trailer, and a local FireSmart Representative, Shane Vandewater, set up a FireSmart Booth so that community members could learn about how to FireSmart their homes. Creating linkages between local wildfire risk reduction projects being executed locally and overseen by BC Wildfire Service (including WCFC’s Shaded Fuel Break Wildfire Risk Reduction Project on Hudson Bay Mountain Road) and residential structure protection helps to build community capacity and fire resiliency and increase community awareness and education.

Thank you to everyone who came out to show support and congratulations to the 2023 WCFC Community Grant Recipients!

View the WCFC 2023 Grant Day and Open House gallery below.