Lyme Sucks Challenge creating sour faces in South Okanagan

PENTICTON – Penticton has a lot of sour faces lately.

Maybe it has something to do with the Lyme Sucks Challenge, which appears to making its way through every political body, service and civil servant group in town. The challenge is to suck on a quarter of a lime and make a video, post the video on social media, pledge $10 to Lyme research and challenge others to do the same.

It first started with a challenge to the RCMP, several of whom challenged other service groups, including members of the Penticton Fire Department.

Then the challenge hit City Hall.

At city council chambers Monday evening, May 4, Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation President Jim Wilson addressed council, along with Penticton resident Sue McDougall, to talk about the disease and ask council to proclaim May Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

“We are still identifying new strains. Awareness is the largest aspect of prevention,” Wilson told council.

Council and staff both took part in the challenge following the proclamation.

Mayor Andrew Jakubeit challenged the mayor and councillors in Oliver, Osoyoos and Keremeos.

On Thursday, May 7, at the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen’s regular board meeting, manager of legislative services Christy Malden told directors she had learned regional district staff had been Lyme challenged and were planning to take the challenge on May 13. She then challenged City of Penticton staff and the regional district board to take the challenge on the same day.

“You contribute $10 when you take the challenge… can you pay $20 and not do it?” laughed Naramata director Karla Kozakevitch.

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.