By Robert Mackenzie

Published June 13 2017

After running a deficit in the year prior SIRCH community services expects to be back in the black by September.

The Haliburton County charity presented their financial statement for the past year in their annual general meeting June 7 which showed a long-term debt of $100692. However the sale on their property off County Road 21 is planned to close in September which SIRCH believes will bring them back into a surplus.

“It’s just optimistic to know that by the end of September we’ll be back in the black and maybe have a bit of extra money to use on projects” said SIRCH executive director Gena Robertson.

The School’s Cool program which prepares children aged three to five for the upcoming school year is returning to Minden and Haliburton this summer. Last year SIRCH cancelled the program due to a lack of funds.

This winter SIRCH introduced a “Smash Room” in their Bancroft Thrift Warehouse. The room allows people to purchase chipped or one-off china and glassware that wasn’t being sold and throw it at targets on the walls. The Thrift Warehouse increased revenue by more than 18 per cent this year.

The Cook It Up program returned for its third year giving food service training to nine unemployed or underemployed community members. Four of the nine participants in this year’s program are now working in the food service industry. SIRCH’s Community Kitchen made almost 4000 meals this year given to families in the county struggling with poverty or other such circumstances.