Work on United Way gets started in Iqaluit

On Friday July 26, the Royal Bank staff hosted a barbecue for the people of Iqaluit to inform them that there is an organizing committee attempting to establish a United Way for Nunavut.

I would like to thank the Royal Bank Staff, NorthMart and Petersen and Auger for their kind support of this barbecue.

At the barbecue, Ed Picco, the minister of health and social services, presented a cheque for $15,000 to the municipality of Iqaluit, which in turn, presented the cheque to the Illitiit Society.

This money is to be used as seed money for the organizing committee to assist them in developing this important service (the United Way). The funding came from the kind contributions of the departments of community government and transportation, education, and health and social services.

I am writing this letter to express our appreciation to Manitok Thompson, the minister of community government and transportation, Ed Picco, the minister of health and social services, and Peter Kilabuk, the minister of education.

The staff of community government and transportation worked hard to assist us in the process of applying for these funds and in signing the contribution agreement. Through your support, I believe the organizing committee will be able to work for this next year in organizing a United Way, possibly with the target of the fall of 2003, as our first campaign.

John Matthews, the mayor of Iqaluit, was present to present the cheque to Illitiit. Our thanks for this trust go to Mayor Matthews and the Iqaluit City Council.

We announced the appointment of Gord Rennie to the role of developing the United Way as an organization. His first tasks will be to establish a membership, a board of directors, goals, objectives and the committee structure for the organization.

This is a big job, and Gord is the man to do it. He cannot, however, do this without all of our support.

The spirit, and energy experienced by us all at the barbecue, and the interest of those who attended — and there were many — indicates the commitment of the citizens of Iqaluit toward this important service — a United Way for all of Nunavut.

Bill Riddell
Chairperson
Illitiit Society