Tbaytel's Newsroom

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Thunder Bay, Ont. (Nov. 30, 2020) – Tbaytel has wound down another successful Tbaytel for Good Community Fund campaign with four amazing winners being announced Monday. More than 58,700 votes from Nov. 9-20 were cast for the four winners, who will now put a total of $14,000 to great use throughout northern Ontario. Out of respect for social distancing and community safety, the Tbaytel for Good Community Fund winners were announced in a virtual broadcast this year.

“Whether in person or virtually across our serving territory, we are always excited to get together and celebrate the incredible people doing such great work in the communities Tbaytel serves. Just as in years past we are always so inspired by the diversity and innovation of the projects Tbaytel for Good will help,” said Tbaytel Communication Coordinator Jamie Smith.

“We want to thank the dozens of organizations who applied and the thousands of people who voted to show us once again the wonderful community spirit here in northern Ontario.”

This year Keewatin Public Schools received the most votes to purchase snowshoes so students can learn outdoors and have some fun at the same time. Their community rallied behind them and voted 27,005 times to make sure one of two Tbaytel For Good Community Fund $5,000 prizes was heading their way.

“We cannot express our thanks enough to Tbaytel and to everyone who voted for us—because of your efforts, and because of Tbaytel's generosity in supporting community projects like ours, every student at Keewatin Public School is going to be snowshoeing this winter. Our staff, students and parents are so excited that we're able to add this activity to our Forest School programming, and we know the kids are going to have a great time adventuring on their brand new snowshoes,” said Keewatin Public Schools Parent Council Co-Chair Shayla Smith.

“We are completely overwhelmed by the support we received from everyone who came out and voted for us and so thankful for the Tbaytel for Good Community Fund, without which we would not have been able to afford the snowshoes this year.”

Based on the number of votes received, the full list of winners are:

$5,000 Funding

• Cat Lake Hockey Rink – Community Members, Cat Lake First Nation ON

Cat Lake First Nation is home to hundreds of children who love to compete in broom-ball and hockey every year. The community comes together to build them the best outdoor rink they can. This project will have youth side-by-side with the rest of the community to build new, treated boards for the rink so the community can continue to enjoy it for years to come.

• Snowshoes for Keewatin Public School Students – Keewatin Public School, Keewatin, ON

Kindergarteners were having so much fun on their snowshoes at Keewatin Public School, the rest of the students wanted to try it themselves. This project will purchase 50 sets of snowshoes for primary and junior grades so every student can head out on the Mink Bay Trails with their teachers, which is right behind the school.

$2,000 Funding

• A Mile in My Mocs –  Pope John Paul II School, Thunder Bay, ON

Students will be giving back and learning new skills, making homemade care packages for expectant mothers who need a bit of help. This project will purchase sewing machines and materials so the students can make essential items and clothing for the newborn babies.

• Musical Instruments for Safe Bed – Canadian Mental Health Association, Kenora, ON

Safe Bed is a short term residential program for people over 16 who are in mental health and addiction crisis. Music has been clinically proven to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals as well as give clients the ability to communicate when they have difficulty doing so with words. This project will purchase musical instruments and equipment to help clients on their road to recovery.

To view the Tbaytel for Good Community Fund 2020 winners announcement, visit the Tbaytel Facebook page: facebook.com/tbaytel.

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