Penticton woman raising money to help homeless

PENTICTON – As the temperature drops with the arrival of autumn a Penticton woman is raising money to help homeless people with Facebook auctions.

Kristine Lee Shepherd just finished an auction that raised $170 for the Keep The Cold Off Penticton Society, filling a basket of local goods including local beer, art and gift certificates which she sold to the highest bidder on Facebook.

“I’ve lived here for 34 year, and felt it was time to give something back," she says.

Shepherd finished the auction at the end of September and is planning another one. Donations for the basket came from 557 Artist Block and Pat Fields, Jan Little, Craft Corner Kitchen, Cannery Brewing, Many Hats Theater, At the Front Door and Janel Bailey. All the proceeds will go to Keep The Cold Off, a group that provides hot meals for homeless people in the city at a cost of $75 a week.

"I wanted to raise that money for them so they can continue to provide those meals,” she says.

Society founder Mike Forster says the community continues to help his group, noting donations by Parkers Chrysler and other local businesses.

“The arts community has been donating generously and a local bank is putting together a clothing drive,” Forster says.

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