Friends of Children enter the New Year following a very busy 2011. We supported 233 children in medical need, 124 from Northern BC and 109 from the East Kootenay. Assistance to families with children in extraordinary medical need covered a wide-range of requests. Friends of Children helped with accommodation, travel, meals and medical equipment related to the Northern BC or East Kootenay child’s medical challenge. Coordinating support through our links with other organizations remained an integral part of our service.
In 2011 Friends of Children supported families in these BC communities:

East Kootenay
Canal Flats, Canyon, Cranbrook, Creston, Edgewater, Elko, Fernie, Invermere, Jaffray, Kimberley, Sparwood.

Northern BC
Burns Lake, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Fraser Lake, Fort St, John, Hazelton, Houston, Jade City, Kitimat, Kitwanga, Mackenzie, Prespatou, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Quesnel, Smithers, Taylor, Telkwa, Terrace, Williams Lake, Vanderhoof

Implemented in October 2010, the Friends of Children Alberta Accommodation Program continues to serve East Kootenay and Northern BC families. Friends of Children Society received much-needed funding from the BC Government to cover accommodation costs for Northern BC or East Kootenay families whose children must see a medical specialist in Alberta.

“Eighty percent of our funding requests have come from the East Kootenays, but Friends of Children has also funded accommodation for Prince George, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Terrace familes seeking medical help for their child in Edmonton or Calgary,” said Kelly Sharp, General Manager of Friends of Children.

“Besides providing support where we can for medical trips in BC, the accommodation funding for Alberta medical appointments further enhances Friends of Children assistance to Northern BC and East Kootenay children in medical need. To think a year has gone by for a program that has been so valuable to so many.”

Friends of Children assisted families from nine Northern BC and four East Kootenay communities during August and July of 2011. We supported children in medical need from Prince George, Telkwa, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, Williams Lake, Dawson Creek , Fort St. John , Prespatou, Cranbrook, Canyon, Elkford and Fernie.

In fundraising news, we salute CIBC Wood Gundy Prince George for their donation to Friends of  Children through the CICB Miracle Day. Thank-you to the CIBC Children’s Foundation.

Once again, Endako Mines “Mining for Miracles Campaign” supported Northern BC children in medical need. We applaud Thompson Creek Mining Ltd-Endako Mines and their employees for their on-going help to Friends of Children.

June 2011 was a very busy month for the regional service of Friends of Children.  Support came to children  in the East Kootenay communities of Cranbrook, Elkford and Canyon BC.  Nortrhern BC children from  Dawson Creek,  Quesnel, Smithers and Prince George  received assistance from Friends of Children.

Special thank-you goes to the many donors of the 2011 North Central CIM Annual General Meeting.

Donations from the CIM golf tournament and silent auction went to Northern BC children in medical need. Next year promises to be bigger and better.

We are grateful for continuing to support Friends of Children as your charity of choice.