ACT UCT Moose Jaw donate $35,000 to help Saskatchewan residents breathe easier!
Since 1934 the Associated Canadian Travellers (ACT) Clubs scattered across Saskatchewan have tirelessly supported lung health in our great province. Early in our history when the TB epidemic was the silent killer in Saskatchewan and Canada, The Lung Association, then known as the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League, toiled alongside service organizations to combat the white plague.
“One such community partnership began when the Associated Canadian Travellers Clubs in Saskatchewan answered the call and adopted the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League as their primary charity,” says Ted Borthwich, a long-time member of the Moose Jaw Club. The fundraising events organized and managed by the ACT not only raised much needed funds to operate Saskatchewan’s three sanatoria for TB treatment but also raised awareness about TB prevention. They funded the large vans that were used to house mobile x-ray labs so that communities all across the province could be screened for TB. They also assisted in mobilising community participation in the TB surveys. From 1938 to 1958 volunteers from the ACT Clubs staged the ACT Amateur Hour on radio stations in several cities and by 1960 the ACT clubs had contributed $1 million to the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League.
“While TB has declined and Saskatchewan’s three sanatoria are closed; the legacy of giving continues to the present day,” says Susan Cron, The Lung Association’s President & CEO. “We are so very grateful to the ACT UCT Moose Jaw Club for continuing to fund the programs and services that the residents of our province rely on.” The ACT underwent an organizational change in 1966 when they merged with the United Commercial Travellers (UCT) to become the ACT/UCT. They continue to have a very strong affinity for The Lung Association, Saskatchewan. It has been 83 years since the Travellers have been involved with improving lung health one breath at a time in Saskatchewan and their monetary generosity alone has exceeded $2.7 million in contributions.
About The Lung Association
Breathe. It’s what unites us. It’s what inspires us. And it’s what keeps us pushing ahead— whether it’s searching for cures to lung diseases, teaching our children about the dangers of tobacco, or fighting for clean air. The Lung Association is the leading organization in Canada working to promote lung health and prevent and manage lung disease. We do this by funding vital research, pushing for improved treatments, going to bat for smarter policies, and helping patients manage their health.
