The first ever Avarie’s Happy Heart Scavenger Hunt was an overwhelming success, raising $4,411. Taking place on Saturday afternoon in Sparwood’s Lions Park, the fundraiser saw local families coming together to have a little fun, while raising money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
“I’m pretty happy with the amount raised,” commented organiser, Sarah Ryckman. “It was a great turnout for the first one and I’m hoping to have an even better one next year.”
Following pregnancy complications, Ryckman’s daughter Avarie suffered a stroke shortly after birth. Today, Avarie is three years old and suffers from mild cerebral palsy. While she is a very happy and active little girl, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is still a cause very dear to the family’s heart.
“The Heart and Stroke Foundation used to put on the Big Bike Fundraiser every year, but weren’t able to this year,” said Ryckman. “I really wanted to make sure we still did our part and [the scavenger hunt] is what we came up with.”
There was a barbeque set up alongside the scavenger hunt to encourage participants and passersby to donate. With the funds raised on Saturday, along with online donations, Ryckman was able to far surpass her original goal of $1,000.
