RIDEAU VALLEY, Nov. 29, 2022 – The Simmering Family has renewed its commitment to conservation with a generous matching pledge in support of the Steve Simmering Conservation Land Endowment Fund.
Up to $5,000 in donations will be doubled between Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29) and Tuesday, Dec. 6.
The Simmering Endowment provides a vital source of annual funds to support more than 1,600 acres of local conservation lands owned by the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF). These wetlands and forests in turn support healthy communities by cleaning our air and water, storing carbon and reducing flood and drought risks. They also provide a critical antidote to the daily grind by providing outdoor recreation opportunities for all.
“The Simmering Family has been a long-standing supporter of our watershed’s critical natural infrastructure,” said RVCF executive director Diane Downey. “This generous matching pledge will go a long way to protecting the Rideau Valley for generations to come.”
The fund is named for Steve Simmering, a well-respected businessman in the Ottawa area and long-time Vice Chair of the RVCF. He was instrumental in the acquisition of some of the Rideau Valley’s best-loved conservation areas, such as Chapman Mills.
Before Mr. Simmering passed away in 2009, he was an active outdoorsman who loved walking and hiking in the open air. He enjoyed working with the Foundation because he believed in the goal of local, natural areas for all and the opportunity to reconnect with nature through inexpensive family recreation and exercise.
Donations to the Steve Simmering Conservation Lands Endowment Fund help cover annual ownership costs such as property taxes, trail maintenance, signage and fencing. Donations also give us the security to accept more land donations in the future, knowing we have the funds to maintain them.
Only the annual interest from the fund is withdrawn, while the principal remains invested year after year to produce a steady source of funding.
This giving season, you can double your impact thanks to the Simmering family – and help keep our watershed green forever.
Visit www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/63940 to donate now, or visit https://www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/steve-simmering-conservation-lands-endowment-fund to learn more.
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