Bill Atwood
Times-Chronicle
The South Okanagan is again showing its generosity by helping several end-of-the-year donation drives be very successful.
The Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre is currently in the middle of its biggest fundraiser of the year, the empty bowls challenge, which executive director Marieze Tarr said is going really well.
“We have had just an outpouring of community support, which is wonderful,”
Since the fundraiser is normally an in-person event, Tarr was unsure it would go ahead until an anonymous donor stepped forward and offered to match all donations up to $25,000. A virtual fundraising effort was then launched.
“So this opportunity came and we felt extremely blessed and grateful for this opportunity from this anonymous donor,” said Tarr.
Desert Sun is close to its fundraising goal with over $20,000 raised so far. Donations are being collected until Dec. 15, with a number of ways to donate. Visit the Desert Sun Facebook page for more information.
A second ongoing drive is also still seeking donations. The Oliver Missions Society is currently putting together cold snap backpacks to help those who do not have adequate shelter in winter.
The backpacks will be full of warm clothing, sleeping bags, food gift cards and other items to help keep the recipients warm through winter. The society is also in need of backpacks to put the items in. Due to current health risks, the society is asking that all donated items are cleaned before they are donated.
“Because I know that the cold snap shelter that they’re trying to get (in Oliver) is not (not likely) going at that location, we figured that we would team up and do something that would be beneficial,” said organizer Jo Tanner.
The society is planning or doing 25 backpacks to start, and hope to do another 25 as donations come in. Contact Joe Tanner at for pickup arraignment at 250-408-8527.
Three completed charity drives this year also saw big years, with Red Apple in Osoyoos collecting nearly $4,000 worth of items for the Kiwanis Club, a $500 gift card and a $300 gift card to be given to other organizations at a later date.
According to manager Sharon Shaby, the current pandemic only made people more generous which resulted in a very good year.
“I think people were a little bit more giving this year because of COVID. I guess the have nots don’t have, but the ones that do, we’re really more generous,” she said.
Like Desert Sun, Red Apple also a little extra help in spreading the joy.
“We had one of our customers on Saturday bring 100 boxes of chocolates, wrap them and he stood at the door and handed all our customers a box of chocolates as they came in,” said Shaby. “It was really nice.”
Two other completed drives saw Osoyoos Fire Rescue collect $2,616 and two truckloads of food for the Food Bank, while the Toys for Tots to Teens yearly drive collected over $3,000 in cash and gift cards, as well as a large pile of gifts.
“It was a huge success,” said organizer Ken Baker.
