Follow your passion & make a difference in your community
If helping local businesses develop, grow and thrive sounds like an appealing way to make a difference, being on the Community Futures Peace Country (CFPC) Board of Directors may be an excellent fit for you.
“This is a very rewarding board to be part of,” said George Leger, CFPC Board Chair. “When you travel through the Peace Country and see the businesses CFPC has funded and supported, it gives you a sense of the difference you’re making.”
Leger joined the CFPC Board in 2016 and became Board Chair in June of 2021.
Community Futures is a non-profit organization guided by a volunteer board of directors and is managed by business professionals to provide small and medium businesses with access to capital lending up to $150,000 and complementary services such as coaching, training and business planning.
In addition, CFPC also provides strategic community planning and support, monthly Lunch and Learn training sessions, collaborations with local Chambers of Commerce, and they proudly host the annual Women in the North Conference as well as Hug an Entrepreneur Day.
CFPC board directors attend 10 board meetings and approximately 6-10 phone meetings per year. Board meetings take place at 5pm at the CFPC office in Peace River or via Zoom, and travel expenses to attend meetings are compensated.
“It’s not a large time commitment, and as a volunteer board, there’s no politics or ego to deal with,” said Leger. “We genuinely care and want to encourage strong, vibrant smaller communities in Northwestern Alberta.”
Second Vice-Chair Cheryl Anderson, who has served on the board for eight years, echoes Leger’s sentiments.
“The most rewarding part of being on the board is seeing entrepreneurs get their feet under them. You see them get their start and watch their vision come to fruition,” said Anderson. “As a board member, you see it all the way through. It’s amazing, and it triggers something in your heart.”
Those wishing to serve as a board member must be at least 18 years old, reside in the region and be committed to supporting CFPC.
CFPC serves 50 communities in 26 municipalities and four First Nations communities, spanning 122,000 km2. CFPC covers a large part of Northwestern Alberta and is seeking board representation in several sub-regions.
If you are interested in serving as a board director, call the CFPC office at 780-624-1161. More information about CFPC can be found at peacecountry.albertacf.com.
Words and Photography by Vanessa Burns