Investing in Our Members

As a registered non-profit society, the Monterey Recreation Activity Association (MRAA) can accept donations and issue tax receipts for those donations. We have also been the recipient of legacies left to us by former members. Every dollar we receive goes straight to the Association for the benefit of our members. No funds are set aside for salary or office costs. The Association is 100 percent volunteer run and supported. The Association’s mandate is to use its donations to support and promote our membership. We do this in many ways. For our low-income members, we subsidize their membership fees so that they can participate and be a part of the Monterey family. This subsidy has proven to be a great return on investment, as many of these same members contribute their time and skills to support the Association and the Centre as volunteers.

Even during the months of COVID when the Centre had to follow provincial health guidelines and reduce its services, MRAA was still able to find ways to support its members. Board Directors became Fern Café Ambassadors. We greeted café patrons, taking names and contact numbers for COVID track-and-trace procedures. This role allowed us to stay in contact with MRAA members and to share important information about the Centre. It was during this period that the need for a food subsidy for some members became clear. The frozen food program, aimed at our subsidized members, started in the early months of COVID and ended in September 2021. It helped ensure that some of our most vulnerable members, who were unable to access a grocery store or who lived alone, received healthy meals. Funding memberships and the food program are just two examples of our commitment to our members. MRAA oversees thirty clubs and one of its primary goals is to ensure, their continued success and growth. We support the clubs by helping with member recruitment, administration and funding. Over the years the association has bought cymbals for Concert Band, dictionaries for Scrabble, dart boards for the Dart Club, a belt/sander for Woodcrafters, mahjong sets for the Mahjong Club and a DVD player for the Classical Music Club. Each club, from Billiards to Woodcrafters, is entitled to aid from MRAA to promote and support the club and the club’s members. MRAA wants each club to flourish, and we are always willing to support the development of new clubs under the MRAA umbrella.

Beyond the clubs, we have provided more opportunities for our members to participate in the special events and outings hosted by the Centre. Over the years, the expenses involved in hosting these occasions forced ticket prices to increase. Over time, many of our members had to reduce their participation or not take part at all. To encourage more membership involvement, the Board decided to subsidize the cost of the members’ registration for both the special events and the day trips. The result of taking these measures has been a noticeable increase in member participation for both the special events and the day trips. The mandate of the Monterey Recreation Activity Association is to promote and support members as they pursue educational and recreational opportunities that are geared to their interests and goals. We keep what has worked in the past, yet we are open to new ideas and challenges. We are always looking forward!