Mission accomplished.
North Okanagan lifetime friends Kristin Postill and Brittney Page were joined by 14 others in paddle boarding the 18-kilometre length of Kalamalka Lake July 8, in Postill and Page’s annual Stand Up For fundraising event.
This year’s beneficiary of the paddle is North Okanagan Youth and Family Services Society (NOYFSS), who will collect more than $25,000 from the women’s fundraising efforts.
Postill and Page choose a charity every year for their Stand Up For paddle. NOYFSS has been serving the North Okanagan for nearly 50 years, offering a broad range of social programs reflecting the dynamic needs of the community, specifically for the healthy development of children, youth and families.
Funds raised will provide free educational groups and counselling services for youth in high-risk situations, including those living on their own or facing homelessness.
Vicki Proulx, fund development and communications coordinator at NOYFSS, said the friends have exceeded all expectations for this campaign and raised invaluable funds that will go directly to service the community.
“We are so grateful to Kristin and Brittney for choosing to Stand Up For NOYFSS,” said Proulx. “Supporting vulnerable youth is essential to creating healthier and safer communities. The support shown for the work NOYFSS is doing through this fundraising campaign has been truly overwhelming.”
This is the sixth annual Stand Up For fundraising paddle Page and Postill have led. So far they have raised more than $150,000 for the Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative, KidSport Okanagan, The People Place, Archway Society for Domestic Peace and Starfish Pack in Vernon.
“We are so grateful to be able to do our paddle fundraiser year after year and see the continued support from our community,” said Postill. “Without these organizations our community would lack the social support it needs and without generous donors they would cease to exist. We’re hoping we can continue doing our paddle and helping to support these wonderful organizations for years to come.”
Added Page: “This money is invaluable to supporting a number of programs NOYFSS has to offer and will allow them to continue to provide our community the resources it needs. We couldn’t be more honoured to have raised this money to help them and are so appreciative for the community’s support including many local businesses who stepped up with corporate matches this year.”
Event organizers would like to thank the following businesses and donors for offering both donations and matching grant incentives to make Stand Up For NOYFSS such a tremendous success: R.E. Postill & Sons, Nixon Earthworks, SC Carts, Toro’s Liquor Store, JC Bradley Jewelers, Maxton Industries, Big Sun Beachwear and Rancho Vignola for providing nuts as paddle fuel.
READ MORE: Vernon-raised duo stand up for KidSport
READ MORE: North Okanagan pair paddle for People Place
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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