Meewasin CEO ‘ecstatic’ after major donation

The head of the Meewasin Valley Authority says she’s ecstatic after receiving a $100,000 donation from Rawlco Radio on behalf of long-time 650 CKOM morning show host Brent Loucks.

CEO Andrea Lafond said Loucks’ leadership in Saskatoon over the airwaves is appreciated, and she was grateful to hear his perspective on why Meewasin is so important as part of “his daily work and looking out into the valley daily.”

Earlier this year, Loucks announced he would transition away from the early-morning grind to spend more time with his family.

But having spent many hours over the years observing the happenings along the Meewasin trail just outside his studio window, Loucks really wanted to make a contribution to the area and the group that has been so beneficial to the environment and the mental health of Saskatoon’s population.

“It was significant,” Lafond said. “We’re going to be able to leverage those dollars that we need to do the necessary restoration work in the river valley.”

Lafond said hearing about the donation Thursday morning was emotional.

“I cried on the way to work. I was just so thankful to Brent, to Rawlco, and to both our teams,” she shared.

Meewasin actively works on the restoration and protection of the valley, Lafond explained. She said Meewasin is proud to act as stewards of the river valley, which is home to a huge number of native species.

The donation from Rawlco Radio will go towards continuing the efforts of the MVA team by directly funding plant materials, she said, along with replanting areas in the valley and supporting their prescribed burn and sheep grazing programs.

Lafond said she’s also excited about the ongoing nature of the donation, which has created a program dedicated to the ongoing maintenance and growing of the natural river valley area.

Meewasin will continue to accept donations to the Brent Loucks Valley Revitalization Program into the future, and donations can be made online.