Tom Harris Day of Giving

Photo: Contributed

On June 29, 2018, celebrations in memory of businessman and philanthropist Tom Harris were held at retail locations across British Columbia and Alberta. Through a partnership with the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, over $25,000 was raised that will help to send hundreds of children to summer camp who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity due to financial circumstances.
 
“Our team at the Tom Harris Banks Centre Store were so excited to give underprivileged children from the Okanagan a chance to make new friends and benefit from a summer camp experience,” said Laurie Foster, Manager, Banks Centre. 
 
“Through a fundraising campaign leading up to the June 29th Tom Harris Day of Giving, two of our Okanagan employees completed a skydiving challenge after raising pledges and we hosted a fundraising Comedy Night at Freddy’s Brew Pub. Collectively, we raised $5,000 for the YMCA of Okanagan’s Strong Kids Campaign!”
 
“We are incredibly grateful for the Tom Harris family and store teams for selecting the YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign as their charity to support,” said Rhonda Zakala, VP of Fund Development. “Currently 1 in 4 local children need financial assistance in order to attend a Y summer camp.”
 
The YMCA of Okanagan relies on community support to ensure quality programs are accessible to all. To learn more about the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, please visit ymcaokanagan.ca.