Hay Communications Makes a Forever Gift

It was in 1911 that a group of citizens, concerned that Bell Canada wasn’t rolling out service to rural areas fast enough, decided to create their own telephone system to serve the Grand Bend,  Zurich and Dashwood area. In 1995, the Hay Township Telephone Company, as it was called,  became a collaborative owned by its customers. Now, nearly 100 years since it was founded, Hay Communications has made a generous gift to the Grand Bend Community Foundation that will ensure the company is part of the community forever.

“We hope this gift will make Grand Bend a better place to live,” said General Manager Angela Schneider in announcing the gift. “We are very impressed by the variety and extent of the different causes supported by the Foundation. It has grown tremendously and we want to be part of its future, and the future of the Grand Bend area.”

Hay made an initial gift of $10,000 to the Foundation in 2003, then added another $2,500 in October. The total contribution, together with any future contributions, will form the Hay Communication Fund within the Foundation’s general endowment fund.

Revenue from the general endowment fund is granted each year to support innovative projects that enrich the community. In recent years, for example, the Foundation has supported:

• Health education programs at the Grand Bend Area Health Centre

• Construction of a soccer pavilion for the Grand Bend and Area Soccer Association

• Provision of CNIB library services for people in Grand Bend with visual impairment

• Landscaping and flower planting by the Grand Bend Horticultural Society

• Creation of the Optimist Skateboard park and Basketball Court

• Creation of a management plan for the Old Ausable Channel

• Purchase of musical instruments for the Grand Bend Public School

“Hay Communications has been part of this area for many years,” said Hank Krech, Chair of the Foundation board. “This gift is a wonderful way to way to celebrate the special connection between our community and this company. By building our endowment, it will allow us to support even more great projects in the future.”

Update!  Hay communications continues its commitment to the community with another addition being made to the fund in 2012 of an additional 2500.00