Okanagan Dream Rally raises $800,000
The Okanagan Dream Rally’s fourth annual event brought hundreds of people to the streets of downtown Kelowna to walk through the cars on display.
“It’s crazy how many people showed up for it,” said Matt August, the owner of August Luxury Motorcars and c0-founder of the August Family Foundation.
“(We are) grateful for our community.”
This year’s event raised more than $800,000, which brings the event’s total money raised to approximately $1.6 million in its four years.
Dream Rally surpassed the fundraising goal of $500,000 for the Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon.
The fifth Annual Okanagan Dream Rally returns on Aug. 2, 2020.
Supportive housing
A fifth supportive housing project in the Rutland area was approved by Kelowna council on Aug. 12.
The 50-unit building is set to be built at 280 McIntosh Rd., right on the corner of McIntosh and Asher, close to Rutland Centennial Park and the Rutland Community Policing Office.
Couns. Mohini Singh, Charlie Hodge and Maxine Dehart voted against the project.
The project will be funded by BC Housing and operated by the John Howard Society of Central and South Okanagan.
Residents will be allowed to use drugs on the site and an overdose prevention service will be provided.
Memorial grows
A 15-year-old West Kelowna teenager drowned in Okanagan Lake at Gellatly Bay Park on Aug. 17.
The community set up a memorial site for Jaxsn Cahill on the main wharf at the park.
Skateboards, hats, flowers and touching letters fill the wharf left there by friends, family and the community.
“Immortal in everyone’s thoughts,” said one message at the memorial.
“Your energy and spirit will continuously be felt and carried through all of us,” said another.
Vegan protesters to
continue ‘radical
In the name of “Canada’s climate crisis,” a local climate advocacy group stood with 80 protesters at the intersection of Bernard Avenue and Richter Street in protest of the annual RibFest Kelowna.
The group plans to continue to mount protests “so long as climate change is still an issue,” according to a Kelowna Climate Save press release.
“We need to make serious changes, including discontinuing RibFest,” said protest organizer Mika Glaser.
The message from the president of the Rotary Club of Kelowna Sunrise is that RibFest is a family fun, community driven event that is for a good cause.
“We understand that not everybody is in favour of everything,” president Susan McIntyre said.
Proceeds from RibFest allow Rotary to donate thousands of dollars to various community organizations.
Cyclist dies in
collision with
semi truck
A cyclist was fatally struck by a semi truck on Dilworth Drive while turning right onto Harvey Avenue during the early afternoon of Aug. 12.
The man who drove the semi was taken away by police in a cruiser shortly after the collision, but was released later in the day.
Swoop passengers
stranded
Several passengers travelling from Kelowna to Winnipeg on a Swoop airplane were unexpectedly stuck in the Okanagan after the airline was grounded due to “unscheduled maintenance.”
The flight wasn’t scheduled to take off until four days after the debacle.
Damage was found on the body of the plane on Aug. 26, leaving the plane grounded for repairs.
Passengers were told Swoop would reimburse the cost of tickets purchased from other airlines as long as they are in the same class of service — basic economy.
Stranded travelers were also provided with vouchers to cover meals, hotels and transportation
Mothers to share
grief, spread
awareness on
A group of Kelowna women who have lost loved ones to overdose hosted an awareness event for International Overdose Awareness Day.
It was the third annual event that Moms Stop the Harm hosted for International Overdose Awareness Day.
In August, the group met for a photo in Knox Mountain Park to create an impactful photo showcasing just how many lives are affected — and lost — due to overdose.
Helen Jennens, of Moms Stop the Harm, said that each person in that photo was impacted by the opioid crisis and she has lost two children herself to the epidemic.
