By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A one-time funding ask by the Scottish Borderers Foundation has been answered.
On Aug. 8, Chatham-Kent council approved a $100,000 donation to be dispersed over a four-year period.
The boost from the municipality means the organization has hit the halfway mark in its $600,000 fundraising goal.
Starting this year, the foundation will receive $25,000 per year from Chatham-Kent.
Other municipalities, including the City of Windsor and Essex County have each committed $100,000 to the campaign. Essex County is spreading their donation out over a two-year period.
The Scottish Borderers Foundation is a civilian organization that officially represents and supports the storied Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment, helping with all aspects of non-operational funding.
This includes financial support of the Pipes and Drums; building and maintaining monuments, preserving records and artifacts, including digitization, and funding travel to special events and ceremonies.
As part of a presentation to council on behalf of the foundation, retired Chatham-Kent Police Service Chief Dennis Poole said the money from the campaign will be used to fund initiatives into “perpetuity” with only the interest from the money to be spent.
Poole leads Delta Company, a group of civilians who support the regiment.
In the past 200 years, the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment has always answered the call. From the War of 1812 to the ill-fated raid at Dieppe, to the war in Afghanistan, members of the regiment have served with distinction.
The funding request sparked discussion around the virtual council table as to how donations should be approached.
Some members of council thought granting the request would start the municipality down a slippery slope.
East Kent Coun. Steve Pinsonneault said that while he’s sure the ask from the foundation is worthy, he’s worried it will lead to many other groups taking a similar approach.
Pinsonneault noted the SBF should have to follow the municipality’s usual grant application process.
Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy, who made the initial motion to support the organization, said he didn’t think it would “open the floodgates” to requests as it is a unique ask.
The donation will be funded through the municipality’s strategic reserves.
