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Al Cotton & Jo-Ann Smith
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Al Cotton & Jo-Ann Smith
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Al Cotton & Jo-Ann Smith
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Al Cotton & Jo-Ann Smith
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Al Cotton & Jo-Ann Smith
By Michael Keller, photos by Al Cotton & Jo-Ann Smith
It has become an annual tradition every summer on Okanagan Lake when local skippers from the Kelowna Yacht Club raise their sails – and the Jolly Roger – in support of children with special needs. The event is Boat for Hope, a fundraiser for Variety - the Children’s Charity. It is also an extremely unique opportunity for families who have kids with various physical, mental, and emotional challenges to get out on the water and experience a pirate adventure.
“Imagine being out on the high seas hunting for treasure with marauding pirates giving chase. It’s the kind of thing I think every young child fantasizes about, and with the help of our community partners, we make it a reality for kids who might otherwise never have a chance to do something like this,” says Variety BC CEO Kristy Gill.
Now in its 11th year, Boat for Hope is a spectacle to behold. Local skippers don’t only donate their time, fuel, and vessel, but they fully embrace the swashbuckling spirit of the day. Ships turn up completely decked out in pirate décor, and the captains and crew themselves transform into the saltiest seadog scallywags you’re ever like to meet.
Once on the water, kids are ferried to treasure stations around the lake, where they will undoubtedly along their journey find themselves in an epic battle with pirates bent on stealing their treasure. Armed with an arsenal of water guns, the kids are always well-equipped to repel the attack, and after a long day of collecting booty, the kids are brought to “Treasure Island” at Kerry Park for a family barbeque, complete with games and live entertainment.
“For the hundreds of kids and families who participate every year, the day is a wonderful chance to spend time together, something that is very precious and all too rare for many of the families we support at Variety,” remarks Gill. “Having a child with special needs can be very time consuming, very financially challenging, and of course circumstances like mobility issues can severely limit opportunities to do things like go boating – never mind enjoy such a grand scale pirate adventure.”
Behind the scenes, Boat for Hope is a magnificent coming together of the Kelowna boating and business communities to show their support for local families. Organizations involved in last year’s Boat for Hope – many who have participated every single year for the past decade – include the Kelowna Yacht Club, Pharmasave, Mustang Survival, the Boys & Girls Club of the Okanagan, Downtown Marina, The Jammery, 103.9 Juice FM, Kal Tire, Nesters Market, Investors Group Financial, Read Jones Christoffersen, The Cotton Candy Lady, and the Kelowna Firefighters Charitable Society.
“Along with being a wonderful day for the kids, for us at Variety BC, it is also an important fundraising opportunity, so that we can continue helping children with special needs,” notes Gill. “Our community partners have been so amazing for us, not only providing much of the in-kind support to run the event, but also in creating awareness and being active fundraisers for our cause.”
Donations to Variety - the Children’s Charity go towards kids with special needs in Kelowna and throughout British Columbia and the Yukon. Funding is made available for medical care and services, mobility equipment, specialized therapies, and education opportunities, not covered by public health care.
This year’s Boat for Hope will take place on June 24th. Local businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring the event are invited to contact Variety BC at info@variety.bc.ca or call toll free 1-800-381-2040. To learn more about Boat for Hope or to donate to Variety - the Children’s Charity, visit variety.bc.ca.