Photo credit Susanne Young
The Okanagan Charity Regatta (OCR) scheduled from June 2 - 4 will provide a fun and engaging event that not only brings the Okanagan community together but supports a vital cause for food security in our communities.
The Vernon Yacht Club’s Dave Ellis started an Okanagan Charity Regatta in the early 2000s, which ran for ten years and was the largest fundraiser for the local United Way during that time.
Why a Charity Regatta?
Over the past three years, BC’s United Ways and Community Foundations increased their capacity to support access to adequate and nutritious food for our communities in great need due to the consequences of fires, floods, shutdowns and rising costs. The need continues to grow and the stability of these programs is essential to build strong and healthy communities.
Background
Since early 2020, approximately one in seven BC households have had difficulty accessing adequate and nutritious food. Charities and organizations across the province are reporting significant increases in demand for their services. For some organizations, the needs have increased 400 percent in the past three years with no sign of slowing. Many organizations have had to adapt their services and programs to meet this demand.
Donate for Fuller Plates and Hearts
Every donation large or small and every sponsorship dollar counts towards communities accessing adequate and nutritious food. Donations and sponsorships go directly to the Community Foundation North Okanagan and United Way BC to be distributed to organizations in your region. Donate today and please visit us at https://trellis.org/okanagan-charity-regatta
Pamela Miller
Partner With Us
The Vernon Yacht Club and other Okanagan yacht clubs, as well as sailing associations, United Ways and Community Foundations and their beneficiaries partner in sharing information on the Okanagan Charity Regatta fundraiser. If your business or organization is interested in partnering with this event or wants to sponsor call Pamela at (250) 260-0253 or Sarah at (250) 241-4664 or visit okanagancharityregatta.ca
Our Beneficiaries
Some of the beneficiaries supported by United Way BC and Community Foundation North Okanagan include the Good Food Box; Fill the Gap Program; UWBC’s Regional Food Hubs; Rescue & Recovery Food Fillers Program; School’s Out Program; Whitevalley Community Centre’s Children and Youth Program; CFNO’s Better Together Community Response Fund; Salvation Army Vernon - House of Hope Foodbank; The Hope for the Nations Program; Karis Support Society; the Tiny Bundles Program; Central Okanagan Region Nutrition Society; and Land to Table Food Hub; and many additional community programs that work towards eliminating hunger and promoting food security.
Okanagan Lake’s Sailing Community
The Vernon Yacht Club’s Sailing Fleet is inviting sailors from four other clubs on Okanagan Lake to attend the regatta. Our VYC’s fleet in turn will send sailboats to attend ten annual regattas hosted by Okanagan yacht clubs in Kelowna, Summerland, West Kelowna and Penticton. Our Regatta volunteers will bring awareness to our campaign and partners through the many sailing and club activities throughout the Okanagan.
A special thank-you goes to Vernon’s Hagemann Jewellers for sponsoring the breakfast fundraiser at the OCR as well as to the North Okanagan Sailing Association for running our Committee Boat and stats for the regatta. The Okanagan Charity Regatta is run by many volunteers of the Vernon Yacht Club’s Sailing Fleet. For more information be sure to visit https://trellis.org/okanagan-charity-regatta