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Banff playschool receives donation to cover 2022-23 school year rent

A donation of more than $10,000 will help cover the rent for 2022-23 of a Banff playschool.
Banff Townsite from Tunnel Mountain1
The view of the Banff townsite from Tunnel Mountain. GREG COLGAN RMO PHOTO

BANFF – A donation of more than $10,000 will help cover the rent for 2022-23 of a Banff playschool.

The Banff Rundle Playschool received close to $11,000 from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation to cover its rent. The playschool has an enrolment of 32 three- and four-year-old students and is the first teacher and classroom experience for many.

“This donation from the Pauw Foundation will give us the opportunity to reach more families that would greatly benefit from being a part of Banff Rundle Playschool, as well as stability and certainty moving forward,” said Megan Iskauskas, chair of the playschool in a media release.

“We are greatly appreciative of this gift and look at it as a wonderful opportunity to grow within our lovely community.”

The playschool is paid for through fundraising, tuition and grants, which allows it to employ two people – a teacher and educational assistant – with volunteers playing a key role in the school.

A plan to update and modernize the facility saw the playschool undergo a large renovation for the school year. The project includes a new outdoor play structure with a rubber pour surface, new furniture and toys and new paint for the classroom and activity space.

The media release notes the funding aligns with the foundation’s commitment to support affordability and educational experiences for local families in helping provide the subsidized rent.

The Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation was created in 2013 as a private Banff-based foundation. It’s funded by the Banff Caribou Properties Ltd. and Banff Lodging Company with the aim of reinvesting in the Banff and Bow Valley community through supporting projects that promote an active and vibrant community.

The organization, which has a $1.4 million budget for 2022, will focus on initiatives that meet active lifestyles, education and community building.

“The Pauw Foundation is proud to support the Banff Rundle Playschool. Where would our community be without affordable, reliable and nurturing childcare programs? We have pledged to make an annual donation to help the playschool remain sustainable and affordable for years to come,” said Cathy Geisler, executive director of the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation.

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