The result is an endowment fund which the Northland Community Foundation will add to their investments they have with Craigs Investment Partners. The main portion of the interest/annual yield from this investment will go towards providing a learn-to-swim/water safety service to those families who cannot afford lessons, while a portion of the interest/annual yield will be also used to increase the capital sum in an on-going capacity. In this respect the capital sum will live on forever, ensuring the service does likewise.“Both Shirley and I are extremely grateful to the Northland Community Foundation for providing the vehicle for Ester’s vision to live on into the future”, says Heather. “With the dis-establishment of the club we did not know how the service that we provided for so many years was going continue, so to have the Foundation’s help is fantastic – its great that Ester’s legacy will live on forever”.Northland Community Foundation General Manager Greta Buchanan adds that, in addition to sports clubs, this is a critical service for ailing community organisations that have a residual sum of money but no way of using those funds into the future. “We are aware of many community organisations out there with this challenge, so we are happy to provide a solution for them and continue the great work that they were established for in the first place” says Greta.Sport Northland has agreed to provide this service as part of what they do in the Northland Water Safety initiative that they deliver. Brent Eastwood CEO of Sport Northland states “It was such a pleasure to support the Okau Swimming Club with the creation of the Learn2Swim Assistance Fund. Northlanders have such a great need for these types of lessons as we spend so much time in or around the water, especially during the summer months. This fund will enable us to expand the Sport Northland - Water Safety initiative, which will help keep our children safe in the water.”The Northland Community Foundation can accept further donations to the Fund, go to the website here to make a donation: https://northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nz/donate/ or email info@northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nzFor more details about the WaterSafe Programme go to Sport Northland’s website here: https://www.sporty.co.nz/sportnorthland/Get-Active/WaterSafe-Programme-Info-1Article by Brent Eastwood (CEO of Sport Northland).
