The Summer Youth Program is back once again with a fantastic line up of programs. You can register online, or in the hall office on Fridays. See the 2017 Brochure here. Some programs fill up fast, so go ahead and register now.
Manson’s Kitchen Completed!
The Board of the SCCA is very happy to announce our “new and renewed” community kitchen is complete and ready for use!
The Board is hosting an “open house” this FRIDAY MAY 5th from 12:30 until 2, with coffee and snacks. Please come and see this wonderful new community resource!
The result of four years of fundraising, demolition and construction, the new expanded kitchen has commercial grade fittings and equipment including:
- a new exhaust system with fire protection
- non-skid flooring
- three new sinks
- three fridges
- an upright freezer,
- an industrial-grade dishwasher that does a load in 60 seconds, and only uses 1.6 liters of water,
- two ovens, a 36″griddle and six gas burners.
Fully equipped with stainless steel cookware, bowls, rice cooker, food warmer, coffee machine, the kitchen has all the basics to prepare and serve meals for up to 125 people. Just bring food!
In addition, Manson’s Hall now has sufficient dishes, cutlery, serving bowls, platters and supplies to cater sit-down meals for up to 125 persons available for rent.
The kitchen also provides a VIHA certified food preparation facility for smaller groups, lunches, meetings and catering private events, as well as for private-label food production. Market vendors, chocolatiers, picklers, jammers, and bakers can rent by the hour.
The SCCA Board’s vision has been first and foremost to provide a facility that is a benefit to islanders, so that Manson’s Landing Community Centre can comfortably host a wide range of events such as fund raisers, weddings, community dinners etc.
Even during power outages the kitchen will have full cooking capacity as soon as our new generator and transfer panels are installed.
As the new facility becomes integrated into the life of Manson’s Landing Community Center, the Board hopes to see the cafe re-open for Friday Market lunches, bringing back the 20-year tradition of great food and social connection that’s been missed so much the past four years!
Big “THANK YOUS” to Jean Fontaine and the crew at Blue Moon Woodworks for doing a first-class reconstruction job, as well as to the many trades and subcontractors, and to Julian Ayers for steering the project to completion.
Even bigger THANK YOU’S to the many islanders who donated personally, community groups and granting agencies that contributed funding, especially the Seniors Society, CCCU Legacy Program, New Horizons Grant, a One-Time Special Gaming Grant, the SRD’s Community Works Grant, and to Noba Anderson our Regional Director.
We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia, their annual Community Gaming Grant helps to fund many of the SCCA’s programs and capital improvements.
For kitchen rental information and guidelines, please contact the hall office at 250 935 0015.
Yours truly,
The SCCA Board
Year End Appeal
Dear Cortes Community member,
As many of you are aware, since the failure of the “Hall Tax” initiative several years ago, Mansons Community Hall has been operating on a mix of grants, donations and fundraising activities. Needless to say the process has been quite tense at times with staff and board members not knowing quite where funds to cover the next month’s budget commitments will come from. However, we have muddled through, until now…
AT present we find ourselves in a tough situation where we need $10,000 to pay bills that are critical to getting us through the next year, with insurance being the big one. We have just two months to find this money.
At the same time, we are truly excited about the amazing renovation that has been done to our old kitchen and at the prospect of being able to re-open it as a food preparation and food service facility for islanders.
We are also very happy with the way numerous programs and initiatives that use Mansons Hall are flourishing and providing amazing benefits to our community.
But… and we hate to say it, but if we don’t find that $10K in the next few weeks, the hall and all these programs will grind to a halt.
This is the stark reality we face and the only place we have to turn is to you, our island community members.
However, one good turn deserves another so in return for your support we would like to offer you at least a little immortality… Here’s how it works. In return for your $100 donation we will create a bronze plaque with your name on it* and mount it on a display board to be hung on the wall of the Pioneer Room when it re-opens as a café. That $100 donation also earns you recognition as one of our “Sustaining Members” and all the glory and status that goes with it!
Naturally, if $100 is too much of a stretch, we are happy to accept smaller donations. Every little bit helps and believe us, our backs are against the wall.
So please make use of the donation form below and donate whatever you can to keep the doors of Mansons Community Hall open. At the same time rest assured the SCCA board is seriously looking into long term funding strategies that will help avoid us having to do this type of emergency fund raising ever again.
Thanks for your generous support!
The SCCA Board
*You can decline the plaque and remain anonymous if you so wish.
YES! I want to support the SCCA with a $100 donation.
(Or other amount, please specify $______ )
NAME: __________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: ____________________________________________ P.O. Box ___________________
CITY (e.g. Mansons, Whaletown) _____________________________ POSTAL CODE: __________
Please make cheques payable to; SCCA or Southern Cortes Community Association
I wish to make this donation anonymous.
Summer Youth Recreation Program 2016
Registration for the Summer Youth Recreation Program (SYRP) begins on Wednesday June 19th from 1pm – 4pm at Manson’s Hall. Click here for the online brochure SYRP 2019 You can pick up the brochure at the hall office if you would like a hard copy. Here is the link to REGISTER NOW. We look forward to another wonderful summer program!
Kitchen Renovation Underway
We are pleased to report to the community that so far, $63,000 has been raised through generous donations from the community, as well as grants. Our budget goal is $131,000.00 to renovate and fully equip a modern, to code, health-approved kitchen.
Costs include basic renovation, expansion of the footprint, new electrical wiring, flooring, stove, dishwasher, convection oven, cold table, small appliances, refrigeration, stainless steel canopy and exhaust system. Included in the budget are also dishes, small wares, pots and pans, cash register etc.
The Board has given approval to commence Phase 1 in mid July, consisting primarily of opening up the area, levelling the floor and new subflooring, installation of a 200amp panel and power supply and new skylight (that doesn’t leak!).
Over the summer months the final plan will be developed, go for approval by VIHA and we will begin equipment purchasing.
We plan to start installing equipment and fixtures in the fall, depending on the success of fundraising efforts over the summer.
Our grants are primarily “matching funds” so every dollar donated privately is matched by the granting agency.
The SCCA is a Registered Charity and a tax-deductible receipt will be provided for all donations on request.
In the past, the kitchen was leased to private operators. Our new “Community Kitchen” is intended to provide food services that benefit Islanders and support SCCA programs:
The cafe will be open for morning coffee and baked treats.
Monday: Seniors Day.
Weekly lunches specials on a cost-recovery/break even basis, offering a fixed-price low-cost lunch menu for our Seniors. Later we hope to offer “heat ‘n serve” pre-packaged dinners, and eventually a program similar to Meals-on-wheels for housebound Elders.
Younger folks are welcome to eat too, with a regular-priced menu.
Wednesday: Family Day.
Featuring a children’s menu. All revenues will go to support the Playschool and children’s programs.
Friday: Market Day
Full-service menu, bringing back the legendary burritos, grilled sandwiches and great desserts.
Proceeds to support SCCA operations.
In addition to cafe-style food service, the Board intends to integrate the kitchen into community life, as follows:
-Community Organization Fundraising: facility rental to local groups for fundraising lunches and dinners.
-Special Event catering facility: including fundraisers, Community meals (ie Xmas dinner), and rental for weddings, celebrations etc.
-Youth: provide job experience, education credits and skills training.
-Education: through local learning institutions, food preparation, canning and cooking classes.
-Market Vendors and local food producers: rental of certified kitchen for preparation of food for retail sale and private label food products.
This exciting addition to the Hall services is dependent on community support, please help us to realize the vision and make a donation today!
With thanks from the Kitchen Committee, and the SCCA Board.