Best known for serving up a pint of beer the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Society also serves up charitable donations.
After a successful 2015 Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Craft Beer and Cider Festival, the society announced last Thursday that it is donating $35,000 back to the community.
Twelve local charitable organizations are to receive the funds with $10,000 going to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation. The donation to the the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation will serve as the first contribution towards a pledge made by the Society of $50,000 over five years in support of the Foundations campaign to raise $20 million for medical equipment for the $325 million Patient Care Tower at Penticton Regional Hospital.
As of this year, $537,660 in net proceeds have been gifted back to the community by the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Society.
Janice Perrino, Executive Director for the South Okanagan Similkameen Foundation said the Fest-of-Ale Society has donated more than $75,000 towards critical medical equipment for Penticton Regional Hospital.
"With this new gift for the Patient Care Tower, their commitment will help generations of families over the years. We hope everyone in region knows what this organization does for business, the community and for the hospital we all use.”
The Okanagan Fest-of-Ale, is a two-day Consumer Beer and Cider Tasting held at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre in early April each year.
Society President, Randy Kirkoski noted that this year marked the 20th Annual event which was a big success.
"We made a lot of changes, to celebrate the anniversary of the festival; a fresh new logo, the addition of an outdoor venue and a record number of craft breweries kept new and returning attendees smiling throughout the two day festival.”
The event is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and staffed primarily by community volunteers.