Kelowna Sunrise Rotary is throwing its support behind Interior Savings Credit Union after environmental and animal rights activists protested the credit union’s sponsorship of Ribfest earlier this week.
On Monday, a group of environmental and animal rights activists chained themselves to the exterior doors of Interior Savings Credit Union to protest the credit union’s support of Ribfest, asking it to revoke its sponsorship of the event.
After spending nearly four hours chained to the front doors of the building, the RCMP moved in and cut free the seven activists and arrested them for mischief.
Interior Savings said it met with the activists, however, it was committed to remaining a sponsor of the event.
According to Rotary’s press release, Interior Savings has been a title sponsor of RibFest for several years, while Kelowna Sunrise Rotarians have hosted the annual event for the past four years. The event raised over $78,000 this year alone.
“We thank Interior Savings for their support for our Ribfest event over the past four years,” said Ribfest chair Chris Murphy.
“With their help and the help of every visitor to the event, we raise funds that benefit our community. We return tens of thousands of dollars to local causes including over $40,000 to JoeAnna’s House and thousands of dollars to other Kelowna organizations like Freedom’s door. Food for Thought, and Pathways Abilities.”
Protestor Amy Soranno shares her thoughts on why she is an environmental and animal rights activitst protesting against Interior Savings decision to sponsor ribfest #protest #kelowna pic.twitter.com/3nul8Yy0j5
— Kelowna Capital News (@KelownaCapNews) November 18, 2019
Amy Soranno, an animal rights activist who was part of Monday’s protest, disgreed with the Rotary club’s argument during an interview with Kelowna Capital News on Nov. 21.
“It’s very interesting because the charity that they are donating to, JoeAnna’s house, which helps people who are suffering at Kelowna General Hospital, but the way that they’re donating that money is through selling class one carcinogens to people which causes cancers and disease in people that would end up in JoeAnna’s House,” said Soranno, referring to a World Health Organization report that found processed meats cause cancer.
According to that report published in 2015, processed meats, such as bacon, sausages and ham, increased the chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18 per cent. The report also stated that red meats were “probably carcinogenic” but the evidence was limited and advised the public to cut down rather than give up meat altogether.
To see Soranno’s entire interview click on the link above.