AGLC exhibit illustrates where the money goes

Pavilion debuts at Heritage Festival before hitting the highway

The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) launched a new, interactive exhibit Friday at Heritage Fest to show how $40 billion in gaming and liquor revenue has been going back to communities over the last 20 years.

“AGLC is our bloodline. Without them we would probably cease to exist,” Lily Le, president of the Edmonton Viets Association, said at the unveiling of the exhibit Friday. “It’s because of their funding that we’re able to host annual events and have these education workshops for our youth.”

The non-profit organization hosts events such as educational sessions for youth and forums to help preserve Vietnamese heritage, Le said.

Funding from the AGLC goes toward these initiatives and helps fund their two big celebrations of the Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year, she added.

The Play-a-Part travelling exhibit, unveiled Friday, is housed in a converted shipping container that people can walk into and take part in activities.

The exhibit offers a series of games, including steering a ball through a maze from a source of revenue to one of the following categories: education and culture, sports and youth, health and wellness or community development.

There will also be a photo booth and those who share the photo on Facebook or Twitter can win a $500 donation to a non-profit organization of their choice.

The new exhibit will travel to five different events in Alberta through August and September, including the Labour Day Classic football game in Calgary and the Fort McMurray Trade Show from Sept. 22-24.

“This is our effort to let Albertans know how the money they’re spending is going back to communities,” said Michelle Hynes-Dawson, AGLC vice-president, corporate responsibility and reputation.

Of the $40 billion in revenue, $23.4 billion went to the Alberta Lottery Fund to support over 8,000 charitable and community-based initiatives across the province.

Liquor revenue of $11.5 billion and $4.7 billion from charitable gaming activities such as bingo have gone towards programs, charities and non-profit organizations.

The exhibit will be on display throughout the Servus Heritage Festival. It’s across from the Netherlands pavilion.