Fundraising events that benefit Salmon Arm non-profits are being postponed due to COVID-19.
Scheduled to take place on May 6, the Literacy Alliance of the Shuswap Society (LASS) has cancelled its annual spelling bee. Last year’s bee raised $12,425 for community literacy programs run by LASS.
“Our spelling bee fundraiser represents an important piece of overall annual revenue at LASS,” LASS literacy outreach co-ordinator Lola Storry commented by email. “It was a difficult decision for us to pull the event this spring, but our top priority is caring for our volunteers, staff and community participants – we simply wouldn’t risk a gathering at this time.
Storry said LASS hopes to reschedule the bee once it’s safe to do so, and she hopes LASS can count on the support of previous participants.
“Their contributions make a big difference to our organization.”
Also scheduled for May was Bulldogs Fitness & Boxing Centre’s Hit2Fit fundraiser. Organizer Peggy Maerz said the event was postponed with a future date to be announced.
In last year’s Hit2Fit, participating boxers raised $30,000 for SAFE Society and the Shuswap Hospital Foundation. This year, fundraising efforts will be in support of the Shuswap SPCA and Canadian Mental Health Association Shuswap-Revelstoke. Maerz said participants are still training through online instruction.
Read more: COVID19 pushes Salmon Arm boxing coach into students’ living rooms
Read more: Surprise parade makes Shuswap boy’s 10th birthday less isolated
“It seems that even more, these two local charities will be in need post COVID,” said Maerz. “Our Boxing for Wellness president Shelley Desautels, and her society members and sub committees have been working tirelessly to prepare for the May event. It is out of their hands. With the measures being taken by all levels of governing bodies in boxing, government and our community all we can do is postpone the event to a time when it is safe to do so.”
On Friday, April 3, the cancellation of another popular May fundraiser was announced, the Salmon Arm Daybreak Rotary Club’s annual Lobster Festival. Past fests have raised around $40,000, put back into community projects such as the Blackburn spray park, as well as projects overseas. This followed the cancellation of the Salmon Arm Rotary Club’s Casino Royale event in March. The Daybreak club’s president-elect Chris Davis explained with all the financial difficulties resulting from COVID-19, and because it is currently lobster season, the Lobster Festival would not be rescheduled for later this year.
