AFFA I RES • BUS I NESS
REDCO reaches out for support
the Five Counties region. “We’re interested in helping provide good business services to people outside the City of Ottawa,” said Anna Sundin, one of REDCO’s co-founders, during a phone interview. “Rural areas have their own unique characteristics.” At present, the group is just getting itself underway. Sundin and the other half-dozen core group members have already begun holding networking events to both create awareness of the non-profit group and encourage more business owners and pro- fessionals to join. Group members are also working on applying for non-profit status for
REDCO along with setting up an information website in time for the official launch on Feb. 25 in council chambers at the township office in Embrun. Sundin emphasized that REDCO is not meant to be a successor to the now-defunct Russell Chamber of Commerce. “We think it’s different from the way a chamber of commerce operates,” she said. “We have a wider viewpoint.” One of the goals of REDCO is to help pro- vide networking opportunities for local busi- nesses in rural communities to improve their own economic opportunities. The group also wants to develop close ties with the municipal councils to help promote a better business environment. “We want to be able to talk to council on things of benefit to the business community,” Sundin said, “and to the wider community.” She noted that REDCO’s mandate calls for developing wide-ranging partnerships with
various agencies, including the Prescott-Rus- sell Community Development Corp., existing chambers of commerce in the region, and other groups which may not be business- oriented. “It’s a little bit political, it’s a little bit educational,” she said. “It’s a lot about supporting the businesses in the area, and supporting the community as a whole.” The first year of planning for REDCO calls for concentrating on developing the orga- nization, arranging for business education workshops, and recruiting members from both Russell Township and surrounding rural communities. The group has made a start on the last item with a few of its cur- rent members hailing fromWinchester and other communities in neighbouring Dun- das County. Information about REDCO is available by calling 1-888-329-5705. The website should be online inMarch at www. redcocoder.com.
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
The rural community has its own way of looking at things. That’s the focus for a new business-oriented community group springing up out of Russell. The Rural Economic Development Council (REDCO) may be based in Russell Township, but one of its co-founders stressed that the group is looking at developing a very broad membership base to include all businesses in rural communities throughout
Nouvelle adresse pour la Banque alimentaire
Foire
La Banque alimentaire Bons Voisins peut désormais respirer. Après avoir été résidente pendant plus de huit ans de leur local de la rue Bay à Embrun, elle a dû se trouver une nouvelle adresse. C’est maintenant chose faite depuis janvier. Le conseil d’administration a porté son choix sur le 1012, rue Notre-Dame, à Embrun. Le nouvel acquéreur de l’édifice de la rue Bay, Martin Bertrand, a payé deux mois de loyer à la banque alimentaire afin de faciliter le déménagement et l’installation. Le conseil municipal de Russell, pour sa part, remettra 500$ par mois à la banque alimentaire et ce, pendant 18mois. Soulignons aussi la contribution du Club Optimiste d’Embrun et de Ménard & Fils lors du déménagement. Ci-dessus, on reconnaît la coordonnatrice, Denise Lafrance, le conseiller municipal de Russell, André Brisson, la présidente sortante, Ginette Rivest, les bénévoles, Eva Landry, Toni Landry, Jadrien Giroux (avant), le directeur général de lamunicipalité, Jean Leduc, lemaire de Russell, Pierre Leroux, la présidente de la banque alimentaire, Mélan ie Clément, la vice-présidente, Caroline Montpetit et la secrétaire, Édithe Sauvé.
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