Denise Eastlick, executive director of the Osoyoos Desert Society, told Town of Osoyoos council on Monday that the society’s annual major fundraiser Romancing the Desert will be suspended for one year in 2017 so she and board members and volunteers can concentrate on applying for grants to get funding for a new main building. A smaller fundraising event will be held instead with Romancing the Desert returning in 2018, said Eastlick. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Town of Osoyoos council heard Monday that the future of the Osoyoos Desert Centre Society looks very bright as the organization moves into its second quarter century of operation.
After celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2016, executive director Denise Eastlick said the society is very excited about its programs and services scheduled for 2017 during a presentation to town council on Monday.
The society’s winter lecture series has already kicked off in 2017 and all of the lectures over the past couple of years have been very well attended, said Eastlick.
Visitor attendance at the desert centre, located off of Hwy. 3 just north of town limits, continues to be exceptional as 2016 has the highest attendance figures since 2002 and one of the best years since the centre officially opened in 1999, said Eastlick.
During last spring’s official opening day ceremonies which launched 25th anniversary celebrations, there was near-record attendance as there was free admission and local photographers and members of the Burrowing Owl Society partnered with the society to hold a full day of events, she said.
Hundreds of school children from across the region – and many other parts of the province – continue to visit and take tours at the desert centre every year, said Eastlick.
School children from as far away as Nelson and Vernon make regular trips to the centre and almost every elementary school in the region also sends children for day tours, she said.
The inaugural Art in the Desert event held last July – formerly the Art in the Garden event – was a huge success as local painters, potters, jewelers and photographers gathered for an event that set attendance records with close to 300 people showing up, said Eastlick.
The Art in the Desert event will continue this July and will hopefully attract even more artists and visitors, she said.
Romancing the Desert – the society’s biggest annual fundraiser – was once again a huge success in 2016 and was sold out well in advance, she said.
The event featured great food, a lightning storm that didn’t put anyone in danger, but provided dramatic scenery and even a wedding proposal, she said.
The Romancing the Desert event for 2017 has been suspended for one year only so she and board members can make a more determined effort to concentrate on applying for grants to receive funding to go towards getting a new building erected for the desert society, said Eastlick.
Eastlick made it clear that Romancing the Desert will only be put on hold for one year and will return in 2018 and the society is “likely to do something, but on a smaller scale” for the summer of 2017.
Coun. Mike Campol said it’s amazing that this longstanding organization is continuing to draw record or near-record crowds to the centre and special events.
There are more than 60 volunteers involved in organizing events and the desert centre would not be able to remain as successful without their dedication and commitment, said Eastlick.
“It takes a lot of time, effort and support for the Desert Society to be successful,” she said.
The society will continue to operate year-round and many people don’t realize the winter months are almost as busy as the warm weather months, she said.
Volunteers will continue habitat restoration to remove invasive species and plant native species over the 67 acres of endangered habitat protected at the desert centre, she said.
Building maintenance and countless hours of volunteer labour are required to tackle critical boardwalk repairs, she said.
Projects to repair display kiosks and fence line repair took place in 2016 and will continue this year, she said.
Volunteer work parties also maintained and upgraded the centre’s productive garden and utility and security upgrades to the generator and security system also were completed in 2016, she said.
Eastlick said she will be writing grant proposals to seek funding for a bluebird viewing deck, garden redesign and boardwalk repairs for 2017 and work will continue with an architect on design plans for a much-needed new interpretive building.
The Town of Osoyoos has been providing $15,000 annually for the past several years and their support is crucial, said Eastlick, who once again asked for this amount for 2017.
“This will enable us to continue providing services to the community … and helps make our public programs and all the work accomplished behind the scenes possible,” she said.
Mayor Sue McKortoff thanked Eastlick and said while Monday’s meeting wasn’t a decision-making meeting, she said council would consider the funding request as part of 2017 budget deliberations.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
