THUNDER BAY – Staff from RBC Royal Bank and RBC Dominion Securities met at the Arthur and Ford branch (2600 Arthur St. E.) to support the Dilico Children’s Foundation Our House Initiative earlier today. The initiative was launched to raise funds and collect items for Dilico’s new six-bed youth group home on Fort William First Nation.
“Each year, RBC employees volunteer for a day of service to help a local charity or not-for-profit organization,” says vice president of Aboriginal markets, Matt Simeoni. “This year, we have chosen the Dilico Children’s Foundation and in addition to hosting a day for Dilico we are also pitching in to renovate and do home improvements at the group home.”
Each branch is dedicated to undertaking one project or area in the house that will provide much needed items to make the house a home and provide the youth with opportunities to gain valuable life experience and confidence in moving forward. This includes a new library and music room, sports equipment, a backyard overhaul and a special craft room to work on art and cultural projects.
The Arthur & Ford branch has taken on the sports project that will provide the youth with sports equipment, memberships, lessons and tickets to local sporting events. In addition to RBC employees, staff from Dilico, Foundation board members and youth from the group home, RBC Olympian Robbi Weldon was also in attendance to speak to the youth about accomplishing their goals.
“Being an athlete has played such an amazing role in my life and it has also provided me with so many opportunities for personal growth,” she says. “It is so important to encourage and support young people in their successes, whether that comes in the form of sports and recreation or other things like education, art and music.”
Personal donations, as well as contributions made by local businesses like Twin City Refreshments who donated items for a newly stocked kitchen, will be delivered to the home over the next few days.
“The young men and women in our home are capable of doing amazing things,” says Dilico’s group home manager Penny Radford. “The support being provided to us here today will make a world of difference in helping them realize their dreams and for that, I am truly thankful.” To support the initiative or to learn more about the Dilico Children’s Foundation, anyone interested can visit www.dilicochildrensfoundation.com.