“Stand Up For” Charity Paddle

“Stand Up For” is an annual local fundraising effort by Brittney Page and Kristin (Postill) Holomiswhere they paddleboard the length of Kalamalka Lake, around 18km, in support of a chosencharity. This year they will be paddling for the Okanagan College Sunflower Childcare Centre inVernon. Scheduled to open in September, The Sunflower Childcare Centre aims to address thecritical shortage of affordable childcare spaces in the North Okanagan that can prevent parentsfrom pursuing post secondary education. The centre will support 44 kids, specifically 24 infantsand 20 three to five year olds. It will be run and managed by well loved and respected MavenLane, another local non-profit who have been providing high-quality care, education andrecreational programming for children in our community since 1994.
The numbers don’t lie. 51 percent of parents are waitlisted for childcare and subsequentlyspend two years on those waitlists. Many parents’ educational ambitions are often delayed oreven halted by the shortage of local childcare providers. Staggeringly, parent students who havechildcare are 3 times more likely to graduate, allowing them to fulfil their goals and seek better,more stable careers for their young families.
“The Sunflower Childcare Centre is filling this major gap in our community. It will provide thenecessary support for student parents who otherwise might not have had access to childcare.This gives them the opportunity at an education that will unlock a better life for them and theirfamilies. We’re so fortunate to have this offered in our community and we are proud to be ableto support them and their mission.“ says Holomis.
This is the 7th Annual “Stand Up For” fundraising paddle Page and Holomis have led. So farthey have raised over $156,000 for the local community with Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative,KidSport Okanagan, The People Place, Archway Society, Starfish Pack and most recentlyNOYFSS being their past recipients.
“We are so excited to paddle this year for The Sunflower Centre. As a daughter of a singlemother with three kids who went back to school while we were young, this is not only somethingI can relate to but I can personally attest to the better life she was able to provide for us basedon her education,” says Page. “The Sunflower Centre will offer this opportunity to students inneed and the community will be better for it.”
Funds raised by the paddle will go directly to help outfit the centre with items such as bikes,wooden toys, puzzles, kid’s cots, sensory table, books and bookshelves.
“We are so thrilled that Brittney and Kristin have chosen the Sunflower Childcare Centre as theircause this year. We believe in the power of education, to transform lives, and we know that a bigbarrier for our parents can be that they do not have safe and affordable childcare. We are soexcited for July 20th, and seeing all the smiling and happy faces on the water,” says SashaCarter, Manager of Advancement for Okanagan College Foundation.
As always Holomis and Page have set a lofty goal of raising $25,000 in just a few weeks. Butboth women who have played professional sports globally now once again call the Okanaganhome are here for the challenge. Friends since elementary school, they say it’s important tothem to support the community that helped shape their youth and focus the paddle each year oncharities benefiting women, children and youth.