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Fest-of-Ale provides $35,000 to community groups

Fest-of-Ale provides $35,000 to community groups | iNFOnews.ca
This year's recipients of the 2015 Fest-of-Ale, held in April, gathered at Shatford Centre last Thursday, October 8 for presentation of Fest-of-Ale donations. photo contributed

PENTICTON – The 2015 Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Craft Beer and Cider Festival gave back to the community following another successful festival earlier this year.

Okanagan Fest of Ale representatives distributed $35,000 back to the community last week during a presentation held at the Shatford Centre.

The annual Fest-of-Ale event, which takes place in early April, is one of the best known and well-respected events of its kind in the province, according to society President Randy Kirkoski, who says the 2015 version was a 'tremendous success.'

Twelve local groups were recipients of the funds, which included a $10,000 donation to the Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation. Other recipients included:

– Agur Lake Camp Society
– Community Foundation Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Legacy Fund
– Desert Valley Hospice Society
– Okanagan Boys and Girls Club
– Okanagan College Foundation
– Okanagan Similkameen Neurological Society
– Penticton and District Community Resources Society
– Penticton Seniors’ Drop-In Centre Society
– School District 67
– South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society
– Okanagan School of the Arts

The two-day consumer beer and cider tasting event has returned $537,660 in net proceeds to the community since its inception 20 years ago. A board of directors manages the festival and is staffed by volunteers. Next year’s Okanagan Fest-of-Ale takes place April 8 and 9, 2016.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

By Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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