Chrysalis House funding increase denied

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Over the last year, staff at the Valley’s shelter for women responded to 129 cases of distress and had 77 new admissions.

At the annual meeting recently, Chrysalis House chairperson Debbie Schofield noted that the board of directors requested a two per cent increase in funding to offset the cost of staff benefits and were denied.

The transition house in Kentville ended the year, according to treasurer Cara Gould, with an $8,422 deficit.

She said that Chrysalis House now provides the provincial government with two budgets a year in order to show more realistically the operating costs.

“Although this has not resulted in increased funding for operations, it makes them more aware of the pressures facing this organization,” Gould said.

Staff member Florence Denney described the art program for women and participation in the Clothesline Project.

“It was a phenomenal art program: creative, well received and heart-warming,” she said. “We plan to run it again in the fall.”

Among the staff acknowledged for their contributions were Barbara Kingsley and Linda Lapierre with 20 years of service.

“I still love my work. We have a great team,” Lapierre said. “It has never faltered and I think when you keep staff this long it’s the sign of a healthy organization.”