Help Keep Ryder Lake Hall Open

Will You Help Keep the Ryder Lake Community Hall Open?


Thanks to generous donors, The first $5,500 of our $11,000 has been raised. Will you match them?

The Story
Sitting amongst majestic blue skies and snow-capped mountains, the Ryder Lake Hall has been the centre of our community since 1963. Owned jointly by the local Women’s and Farmers’ Institutes, the Ryder Lake Hall is a place for us to come together and celebrate all we love about this wonderful piece of paradise, including the most priceless thing of all—our neighbours and friends, who make this place so special.

Countless memories have been made at the hall over the years through weddings, dances, potlucks, and concerts. Our children have been served breakfast by Santa and his elves, watched movies and played games at Kid’s Night. We’ve raced dew worms, named the tunes, crafted and gifted, remembered dearly departed friends and celebrated milestones by the hundreds. The Ryder Lake Hall is a unique and magical place, where the very walls drip with history, memories, and laughter.

The Need
Despite these wonderful memories of the past, the Ryder Lake Hall faces an uncertain future. Significant financial difficulties, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, mean that the hall is struggling to survive. In this time when we need to come together the most, we’re asking for your help. 

The Ryder Lake Hall costs approximately $7,000 a year to run. Under normal circumstances, this is covered by the costs of rentals and fundraising, which has dried up over the last fifteen months. Despite great effort from volunteers, the reserves have dwindled and, due to the ongoing pandemic, we have no timeline as to when we can begin normal operations again. Even as our society starts to safely reopen, no one knows how long it will be before we start to see bookings in this new normal.

How you can help—and some good news!
To save the hall, this cornerstone of our community, we’re asking you to help raise $11,000. This covers the running costs of the hall for one year, as well as the costs of some urgently needed maintenance.  

Thanks to generous donors, the first $5,500 of our target has been raised. We're asking you to match that generosity so that we can reach our $11,000 goal

It’s hard to imagine Ryder Lake without the hall. It’s painful to think of how the community would suffer if this gathering place had to close for good. Please, can you lend a helping hand? Any amount is deeply appreciated, large or small, as we try to save this cornerstone of our community. Will you also help us get the word out by sharing this link on your social media and with friends?

Together, we look to the brighter days when we can gather again.

Thank you. We are so grateful for your support.
 
PS For those of you who would prefer to donate directly, please make cheques out to: Ryder Lake Farmers and Womens Institutes

and send it to  
Ryder Lake Farmers and Womens Institutes 
C/O 48438 McGuire Road, Chilliwack B.C.  V4Z 1C7

Peter Whitlock - President Ryder Lake Farmers Institute
Kathy Bryce - President,  Ryder Lake Women’s Institute
Peter Bryce - Chair, Joint Hall Committee
Andy Harrington - Organizer, fundraising campaign