By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The Oliver Fire Department (OFD) raised over $1,000 at a fundraising BBQ on Saturday which will go towards helping to send three Oliver Ambassador Youth Delegates to the town’s sister city of Bandai, Japan.
The BBQ was held with the support of Buy-Low Foods in Oliver and raised $1,092.50 which will offset the estimated travel cost of the three youth delegates plus chaperones estimated to be about $2,285. The Oliver Ambassadors Bandai Youth Delegates – Zephyr Pickell, Riya Chahal, and Jordyn Nelson – will make the trip on July 28 to August 3, 2024.
At an Oliver council meeting in late March this year, Council agreed to fund half of the cost of travel for each person. The remainder is the responsibility of each ambassador/chaperone and the reason behind the fundraising efforts.
The Kiwanis Club of Oliver kicked off the fundraising in March with a donation of $10,000. Contributed photo.
In 2014, the town sent a student delegation to the city and covered two-thirds of the cost of travel to and from the city. The remaining cost was the responsibility of the student.
The Sister City Fund has over $13,000 in it – comprising existing unused funds plus 2024 funds – but a portion is being kept in reserve for a council delegation that is being planned for 2025.
“Much thanks to all those who lent a hand in making it happen, the junior rookie firefighters for supporting their fellow students, and the community of Oliver for coming out to support our team,” the OFD said.
The Kiwanis Club of Oliver kicked off the fundraising in March with a donation of $10,000. The youth delegates are planning further fundraising efforts with the Oliver Theatre (6387 Main St.) holding a fundraiser on Sunday, June 9 with a screening of Wreck-It Ralph at 2 p.m., admittance by donation.
Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen (left) with part of the Oliver Ambassadors team and Bandai, Japan Mayor Junichi Sato (third from right) during a visit to Oliver last year. Town of Oliver photo.
The decision to send a student delegation and then an official council delegation next year comes after Oliver welcomed a two-person delegation from Bandai on Oct. 11, 2023 for the first time since 2020. This delegation included Mayor of Bandai Junichi Sato, a town employee and an interpreter from Vancouver.
This year marks the 36th year since the sister city relationship was established.
