Child Find B.C.’s Michael Dunahee Slo-Pitch Tournament of Hope is coming back for its 28th year, keeping hope alive and raising funds to keep children safe.
The softball tournament launched 28 years ago, after the disappearance of four-year-old Michel Dunahee from the playground at Blanshard Elementary School.
“This is the biggest fundraiser of the summer for Child Find B.C.,” said Child Find B.C. president and Michael’s mother Crystal Dunahee.
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Last year, the tournament raised more than $14,000 for the organization. Money raised goes towards printing costs for Child Find B.C.’s safety literature and the equipment and materials needed to support the All About Me ID Kit program. Child Find B.C. provides all of its services free to parents and B.C. communities.
This year, there will be free childcare provided for the children of players with licensed childcare professionals on-site from Camosun College.
A kid’s game will take place as well and skydivers will descend with the final game ball and pick the grand prizes later in the afternoon.
There are 28 union-sponsored slo-pitch teams this year and over the years, teams from Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland have participated
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In 2017, RCMP reported that there were more than 47,000 cases of missing children in Canada with 7,459 of them being reported in B.C.
“Our children are going missing for a variety of reasons in this province and in Canada,” Dunahee said. “The magnitude of this problem is staggering with so many children reported as missing and it’s devastating their families.”
Child Find B.C. continues to work with B.C. law enforcement, community organizations and families to bring ID kits to communities throughout B.C. The organization also works to educate the public and families about the problem of missing children.
The Michael Dunahee Slo-Pitch Tournament of Hope takes place Aug. 10 and 11 at Topaz Park in Victoria. A kids game will be held on Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. and the skydivers will descend for the final ballgame at 4 p.m.
