During a dinner meeting, local entrepreneur, Jim Dykes commented on his newly acquired interest in community foundations. He continued on in some length until one of those present threw $20 into the breadbasket and said, “Here’s some money – just go start one”. 

Some time later, Jim, along with Ken Koyama, Publisher of the Packet & Times, and Pat Campbell, Casino Rama, formed a Steering Committee, secured operating funding from the Casino, and hired the Foundation’s first Executive Director, Deborah Wagner.  The Foundation was officially launched on January 7, 1999, with a $200,000 gift from Casino Rama establishing the Foundation’s Community Unrestricted Fund.  The Casino issued a challenge to the Foundation to match that amount by the end of the year and they would gift another $150,000.  The City of Orillia, Georgian College, local groups and organizations, and members of the general public, all came to the table to ensure the challenge was met.  At the completion of that deadline, the Foundation had more than $450,000 in endowed assets.  Quite an exciting start to the Foundation’s History!
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By the end of 2009, the Community Foundation of Orillia & Area had provided close to $270,000 in grants to a wide range of local charities.