New Westminster’s Shannon Elmer received nearly $17,000 last week.
Family and friends organized a pub crawl on Aug. 6 for the 30-year-old local, who suffered a spinal cord injury earlier this year after being blindsided by a skier on Blackcomb Mountain. The B.C. Hospitality Foundation – an agency that helps hospitality workers suffering financial hardship due to a medical condition – caught wind of the fundraiser and agreed to match up to $7,500.
“It was absolutely amazing,” Elmer’s father, Ken, told the Record of the grand total. “Over 200 friends, family, and former teachers and workers showed up. It was a very special night.”
Donations will be used to purchase a wheelchair, a lift and other necessary equipment for Elmer’s apartment.
Grow some, give some
The St. Mary’s community garden recently made a “substantial” donation to the food bank.
Eight bags of potatoes, six bags of beets, one bag of squash, one bag of onions, some cucumbers and some assorted greens were donated by members.
The donation was an amalgamation of “extras” and the produce that comes from four plots set aside for the food bank.
“This garden has been amazing for bringing together a tiny bit of community,” said member Erin Jeffery. “We are meeting our neighbours, sharing food with people who need it and showing our children where our food comes from, and how good it tastes when we grow it ourselves.”
Jeffery added the group is hopeful more gardens like St. Mary’s, which opened in April, will grow around the city.
Membership to the New West Community Garden Society is $25. A plot costs $35 a year.
Relax, enjoy the show
There are still three more flicks to catch in the summer movie series at Queen’s Park. Rio 2 will be on the big screen this Friday (Aug. 14), while Aladdin will be viewed Aug. 21 and Big Hero 6 on Aug. 28.
Don’t forget to bring a blanket, lawn chairs and snacks. Stadium doors open at 7 p.m. with the free movie starting at dusk (between 8:30 and 9 p.m.).
Should the forecast be iffy, call 604-527-4634 to confirm if organizers are proceeding with the show.
