“Our purpose is to offer assistance to Russell Township,” said Doug Anthony, during a presentation of the new Community for Sports and Cultural Infrastructure Steering Committee (CSCI), during the March 2 public session of council.

Anthony noted that the main purpose of the presentation to council was to introduce the committee of volunteers and ask for council’s endorsement, and also to assign a member of council and a representative for the municipal parks and recreation department to sit on the committee.

Besides Anthony, the committee includes Phil Ryan, Karine Boucher, Theresa Wever, and Mark Kelly, all of whom have experience in organizing fundraising drives for various community projects. During a later interview, Anthony stated that the CSCI committee is an independent group of citizen volunteers, and not part of the Russell Kin Club organization, which also has been a primary force of fundraising for various community projects.

Anthony noted, during his presentation, that the CSCI committee is in the development stage right now, and is reaching out to make contacts at the regional, provincial and federal government levels, and with business, non-profit groups, foundations and other philanthropic aid groups, and others. The goal, he emphasized, is to be ready to provide advice and assistance to the township on finding sources of funding for the sports and recreation complex, when council makes its final decision on how big the project will be, what facilities it will include, and now much it will cost.

“We want the movers and the shakers of the community involved,” Anthony said. “Whatever you as council decide, that’s what we’re going to support. We are ready to engage the entire community. Everybody has a stake in this.”

Council members expressed appreciation for the CSCI’s offer of assistance and directed administration to prepare a report for a future session on how the committee can work with the municipality.