The Little Red Car Fund for Kids

The Little Red Car Fund was created in 2004 through the generous $5,000.00 donation to the Family & Friends Community Foundation from George Layh. The name of the fund came from the little red car, which Mr. Layh also donated to the foundation.

The fund was established to benefit the children and youth in our communities. This fund will be used to support opportunities for our young people to develop the skills and the character qualities that will prepare them to be healthy, contributing participants in our society.

The children and youth of today are the leaders and the citizens of tomorrow. By contributing to the Little Red Car Fund, you will be ensuring that young people will have the benefit of a permanent endowment to provide them with opportunities to become better leaders and citizens.

Why Support The Little Red Car Fund?

• Provide our children with tools for a successful future.
• Meet the needs of children and youth develop character.
• Enhance parental awareness.
• Encourage children and youth to participate in the life of our communities.
• Encourage the development of the Judeo-Christian values on which our communities were established.
• Meet the needs of children and youth in areas of nutrition / wellness.
• Meet the needs of children and youth in areas of complimentary education.

A Vehicle for Asset Building!

Over the past two years the Little Red Car Committee's primary goal has been to raise awareness in our communities about the assets.

In the summer of 2008, the LRC Committee with the endorsement of Town Councils and Chambers of Commerce in both communities applied to beome a part of the HC.HY Network. In September of that year, the hosted the "Everyone's an Asset Builder" Workshop, which was facilitated by Andrew Sedley of the Sunrise Health Region and Alisa Leidl, the principal of Churchbridge Public School. It was well attended by muncipal leaders, health care workers, educators, parents, school student leaders and the local media.

Following the workshop, the local newspaper owner, Bill Johnston, promoted the assets in his weekly paper, The Four Town Journal. For five months he published "150 Ways to Show Kids You Care" and "40 Ways Anyone Can Build Assets" on the front page of his weekly newspaper.

Family & Friends Community Foundation's Little Red Car Committee is dedicated to building assets in co-operation with other agencies, community organizations and schools.

The History of Asset Building in Langenburg and Churchbridge

How can small rural communities sustain vitality and promote a healthy environment for present and future generations? One of the ways in which the communities of Langenburg and Churchbridge are being intentional about building strong communities is through Family & Friends Community Foundation, which was established in 2003. The Foundation’s mission statement is, “Through dedication, enthusiasm and accountability, Family & Friends will strive to assess community needs, provide leadership, build endowments and provide worthwhile and meritorious grants to promote a cooperative, vibrant community.”

Within the structure of the Foundation, there are a number of named funds which have a defined mandate. The Little Red Car Fund, created through a generous donation to the Foundation, was established to benefit the children and youth in our communities by supporting opportunities for them to develop the skills and the character qualities that will prepare them to be healthy, contributing participants in our society. The Little Red Car (LRC) Committee was formed to provide leadership for that mandate. Their Vision Statement is: “Shaping Children and Youth of Integrity…Laying Cornerstones for the Future.” The committee, which is composed of a cross section of adults and youth from Langenburg, Churchbridge and the surrounding municipalities, meets frequently to discuss strategies to nurture the assets in our communities.

Local Schools Promote Assets

The assets are also being encouraged by the schools in our area. Good Spirit School Division, which includes Langenburg and Churchbridge schools, has set up a “Caring and Respectful Schools” committee that meets regularly. Local student and staff representatives participate.

Principal Alisa Leidl, in co-operation with the Sunrise Health District, will be administering the “Attitudes and Behavior” and “Me and My World” surveys to establish a local data base at Churchbridge Public School. “Having data from the community helps to make the need for building assets real,” says Leidl, whose recent master’s thesis, “Encouraging Resilience” was based on data compiled in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan.

Mick Parmar, the principal at Langenburg High School, has launched the “Eagle of the Month” program. A senior and a junior student who exemplify the assets are honored each month at a school assembly. Each young person is presented with a certificate and a fifty dollar voucher or cheque which has been donated by a local business or organization. The local paper publishes a picture and a brief description of the way the student has built assets in school and community.