03/26/2026
For some time now, the Board of the Roblin District Community Foundation has been searching for a “Legacy Project” to contribute some of our dollars that we have put away over the years by demonstrating prudent operating policies and basically operating on a shoe-string budget. Last year (2025) we found such a project! A community need was identified some years ago to upgrade the Roblin Arena entrance way, lobby and downstairs access to make it accessible for ALL to attend the events in that building. The Municipality of Roblin announced their intent to make this project come to reality last year, and the Board of the RDCF voted to partner with the MOR in this project by paying for the elevator portion.
In conjunction with that, we got some great and exciting news early in the year that we would be receiving grant funding in the amount of $22,903.32 from the Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund!
The Thomas Sill Foundation was established in 1987 by the last will of Thomas Sill, a Manitoba resident, chartered accountant and philanthropist. For decades, the Thomas Sill Foundation supported charitable activities in Manitoba, awarding grants to many communities with the vision that these communities would continue to grow and prosper.
At the end of 2023, the Thomas Sill Foundation wound down operations but wanted to ensure that the longstanding legacy of supporting Manitoba continued. With some of the remaining resources, the Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund was established at The Winnipeg Foundation to benefit Endow Manitoba community foundation member communities.
As an Endow Manitoba member in good standing, our local community foundation was the recipient of its first Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund grant in 2025. The amount received was $22,903.32 in grant funding.
The Board of the Roblin District Community Foundation voted unanimously to earmark the Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund grant as well as a 2025 Foundation grant of $2,000 and Legacy Project grant of $35,096.68 for a grand total of $60,000.00 towards the MOR Arena Accessibility Project – specifically the elevator portion that will supply access to all levels of the Arena for ALL patrons.
We are very proud to have supported this project and thank the Municipality of Roblin for partnering with us!
Pictured with our Banner are Board Members, Dale Rands, Keith Warner, Kelsey Mann, Sandra Stephanow, and Alison Safronetz (missing: Guy Hammond, Candace Wenzel, John Skinner and Peter Mysko)
Also pictured in front of the elevator are three people that were very happy to have access to all floors of the facility: Heather Fisher, Tom Wilson and Kirk Agar.
