Another $68,800 in community grants were awarded by the Bow RiversEdge Campground Society (BRECS) to a variety of community organizations on Oct. 1.

Because of another successful year at the popular RV campground, 17 worthy nonprofit local organizations were supported through its grant program.

Being able to give back to the community was the reason why the Cochrane Rotary and Lions club came together to create the RV campground, explains Jim Thorne, a member of the BRECS board of directors and subcommittee joint chair.

"It's really important to the member of the board and both of the clubs that are involved," he says. "I think it's the reason that we do what we do. That was one of the goals when we first created the campground, and luckily we've been able to do that to the tune of over $1 million since the campground began."

BRECS was oversubscribed with requests, but are do as much as possible to help improve the quality of life for residents in Cochrane and area.

"Every year, unfortunately, we get more applications looking for more help than we can afford to give, but we do our best to spread it out as much as we can, and help those that really are need, and even encourage some who we weren't able to help this year to apply again next year, and, hopefully, we'll be able to do a little more for them then."

Receiving grants were the Bike Cochrane Society, Cochrane Bethany Family Council, Cochrane BMX Association, Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee, Cochrane Integrated Arts Society, Cochrane Lions Rodeo, Cochrane Minor Baseball, Cochrane Public Library, Cochrane Rotary Youth Talent Festival, Cochrane Victim Service Society, Cochrane Women's Emergency Shelter Society, Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation, Helping Hands Society of Cochrane & Area, Hope Mission Calgary, Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta, Spray Lake Sawmills Recreation Park Society, and the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation.

It's been another busy summer at the campground and word has spread wide and far about the quality service it provides. Through the pandemic, it was one of the campgrounds designated for use by Snowbirds returning from stateside.

"It is really a well run, well-maintained campground. It speaks for itself. We get a lot of return business, and a lot of referrals. I think that's why were able to do what we can do as far as giving these grants out, and keeping the place full most of the time." 

BRECS was created in 2004 by the two service clubs, and each year its profits are returned to the community.

Traditionally, BRECS holds a reception for grant recipients, but it had to be skipped this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.