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First responders, frontline workers celebrated at Kelowna gala event

The Impact Tomorrow gala was the largest in-person event in Kelowna of 2021
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Supt. Kara Triance of the Kelowna RCMP at the gala. (Impact Tomorrow)

~Special to Kelowna Capital News: Sammy Hill

It’s no secret that first responders and frontline workers have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, putting themselves at risk each and every day. The Impact Tomorrow Foundation recognized this and found a special way to say ‘thank you’.

On Nov.13, the Impact Tomorrow Gala at the Delta Grand celebrated these heroes in the community with the largest in-person event in Kelowna of 2021. The gala hosted 380 attendees, including 100 special guests for an evening to remember.

Lesley Cormack, deputy vice-chancellor and principal of UBC’s Okanagan campus, spoke at the event.

“We have all tried to show our gratitude for first responders and essential workers throughout the past 18 months. As communities across the province face new hardships following recent flooding events, our gratitude for frontline and essential workers continues to grow. Thanks to Impact Tomorrow bringing us all together, the community had this opportunity to show its appreciation and respect.”

Attendees mixed and mingled at the dinner with the 100 honourees and heard words of acknowledgment from a number of municipal, regional and agency leaders. The speakers included B.C. Provincial Health Officer, Bonnie Henry, Mayor of the City of Kelowna, Colin Basran, Superintendent Kara Triance and RCMP chaplain, Tim Schroeder.

The Impact Tomorrow Foundation works to leverage matching dollars to fund social causes across Canada. One of those causes, mentioned at the Impact Tomorrow Gala, is the KCR Community Resources Crisis Hotline for essential workers. This hotline gives our valued essential workers somewhere to turn when facing stress and trauma.

If you’d like to donate and help Impact Tomorrow support more causes like this, you can do so online here.

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