What a chapter you wrote!
Valerie Pringle and Hartley Richardson’s joint message
After another successful year, we would like to pause to appreciate our extraordinary achievements of the past 12 months. As with any large-scale fundraising effort, there were several challenges along the way; however, generous Canadians responded in spades. We not only reached our goal of connecting The Great Trail from coast to coast to coast – we also concluded the Chapter 150 Campaign with a grand total of over $83 million – handsomely exceeding our $75 million goal!
We have been amazed by the generosity of individual donors, corporations, foundations and all levels of government, and will be forever grateful for everything they have contributed. By supporting this iconic project, our donors have written a new chapter in Canadian history. Specifically, we would like to acknowledge the support of the government for their matching grant to the Campaign, which matched one dollar for every two raised. We would also like to pay tribute to the members of the TCT Foundation Board, our Campaign Cabinet and our regional fundraising committees, who gave their time and expertise so selflessly over the past six years.
We are delighted to have the opportunity to savour the moment and to say thanks to all of you who were able to share in this success. This is the perfect time to take a breath and look back on all the milestones we reached together. The challenges of the past have made this fantastic accomplishment even sweeter.
Over the past 25 years, TCT donors have looked to the horizon and contributed what they could to support the future of this multi-generational project.
Our work to enhance the Trail will continue with your help. As we begin a new chapter in the Trail’s story, we are excited about our new campaign to capture the big idea of how to make The Great Trail greater.
We believe that everyone has their own special place on the Trail, no matter where they are in Canada. Our new Deeply Connected campaign will help TCT raise the funds needed to support the protection of the Trail’s legacy by enhancing existing Trail sections and developing new ones, while also creating greater awareness, so that even more individuals will be able to find their place on the Trail.
In addition, this campaign will direct funding to making the Trail more accessible to seniors and people with physical disabilities. Donations will also support our efforts to convert roadways to greenways and to repair Trail sections after disasters like floods, storms or fires. We also look forward to nurturing our partnerships with Indigenous communities across Canada.
This exciting chapter ahead will see our national Trail evolve and grow for generations to come. Join us on this new adventure as we encourage everyone to discover, use and treasure the Trail.