The Royal Purple Thompson Lodge #276 made donations to three local organizations at their Sept. 26 meeting, presenting $1,000 to R.D. Parker Collegiate drama teacher David Boyce for a play to be staged in the Gordon Beard Arena next spring, and $500 each to the Thompson Humane Society and the Thompson Skatepark Committee. The humane society will use the money for upgrading indoor kennels and repairing the roof, said humane society chairperson Oswald Sawh, while the skatepark committee will put its money towards construction of the facility, which is expected to be completed this fall.
Honoured Royal Lady Vicki Fleming of the Royal Purple Thompson Lodge, says these are just a few of the projects the organization supports with money raised by its annual Christmas stocking raffle fundraiser. Ten per cent is dedicated to the Elks and Royal Purple Fund for Children, which helps needy children with the necessities of life.
"Just in the past few years we have helped by purchasing a hearing aid for a child born without ears, glasses for a needy student of a single-parent family and a cochlear implant hearing aid for another student," said Fleming, whose lodge also provides charitable donations and activities for the elderly.
"We provided lunch and entertainment for residents of the Northern Spirit Manor," she said, and also donated to the palliative care room at Thompson General Hospital. "Since 1962 the local Elks and Royal Purple have donated to many, many charities."
