A brief insight into the book
Abbotsford Community Services began in the late 1960s. A time of social ferment in Canada and the United States, it was an era of activism, new beginnings, and social service development. Local citizens came together to talk about setting up services the community needed. In 1968, a constitution was approved and Abbotsford Community Services became a registered society.
Modest service projects evolved, and in the early 1970s, federal and provincial support unlocked funding that ensured sustainability of Abbotsford Community Services. This led to rapid evolution as a significant multi-service agency in both the community and the province.
The book explores Abbotsford Community Services’ early years, its development, and growth of its many services through the decades. It also talks about values, leadership, finances, administration, facilities, lessons learned, and partnerships.
The story of Abbotsford Community Services is a story of building community. It is a story of people working together to enrich the lives and destiny of citizens of all ages, all abilities, all genders, all income levels, all races, all faiths, and all political persuasions.
The book project
Author and project manager: Walter Paetkau, founder of Abbotsford Community Services and executive director from 1969 to 2000.
The book launch is scheduled for 2019, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Abbotsford Community Services. Research for the book will be drawn from archives, interviews with former and current staff, volunteers, and people across the community. Research materials and images sourced for the book will be used in Abbotsford Community Services’ 50th anniversary preparations. A committee is in place to work through the logistics.
Projected expenses
Research, writing, project management, editing, design, and printing are the basic costs of the book project. While book sales will recover some of the costs, it is anticipated that we will need to raise over $41,000 to meet the total costs. Should donations exceed book project costs, the balance will be distributed among other related legacy projects.
Become a donor
Donations towards making the book project successful are truly valued and appreciated. Just pick a category that works for you. Thank you ever so much for your consideration.
Donor categories
| Historian | $5,000 – 10,000 |
| History Major | $3,000 – 4,999 |
| Scholar | $2,000 – 2,999 |
| Librarian | $500 – 1,999 |
| Book Lover | $25 – 499 |
For book-related enquiries, contact Walter Paetkau. For donor-related enquiries, contact our fund development team. Or, donate online today – be sure to select ‘Book Project’ from the drop-down menu.