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FestiKAL Fundraiser for Vernon Dancing With the Stars deemed a success

The fundraising event raised an estimated $20,000 for NOHS.

Two dance couples from Hospice’s Dancing with the Vernon Stars 2018 and hosted a night of live music at Okanagan College Thursday to raise funds for the North Okanagan Hospice Society.

This is just one of the fundraising events that is taking place in the community leading up to the main event: Dancing with the Vernon Stars. In its 11th season, the purpose of this event and the fundraising events prior — like FestiKAL — are to raise funds and awareness for NOHS.

This year, Lukas Erickson, Austin Lane Ridley, Holly Stein and Andrew Stein will be participating in Dancing with the Vernon Stars 2018. They hosted FestiKAL event to raise money for NOHS - North Okanagan Hospice Society.

Every year, each dance couple is encouraged to attempt to raise a minimum $5,000 for Hospice. With the help of NOHS, events like this one are used to help the dancers fundraise.

FestiKAL included a live and silent auction, food, drinks and entertainment including a live painting and live music. Performers included Michael Bernard Fitzgerald from Calgary, Cole Bradley from Calgary, Fernando Huerta Gonzalez from Piel Canela from Puerto Vallarta, and local talent Tim Osborne from Vernon.

It is not the only fundraising event left for these participants. The next event, All things Apple takes place this Thursday at Sean and Patrick’s organic apple farm, Curlew Orchard in the BX of Vernon and includes a night of local vegan food and organic cider.

Leslie Harvey is the NOHS Financial officer. This is the fourth Dancing with the Vernon Stars event that she has helped organize.

“It [FestiKAL] was a complete success and they’ve raised quite a bit of money towards their dance totals,” said Harvey. “We couldn’t do this without the community support — that’s the donations for the dancers, the silent and live auction items and all the people who come together to help raise money for hospice. We’re very grateful.”

Andrew Stein, who is set to dance in September, told the Morning Star that they raised about $20,000 after expenses at this year’s FestiKAL event. He deems this a success.

The official Dancing with the Vernon Stars event is set to take place Sept. 28 at the Vernon Lodge. It includes a dinner, dancing. All the dancers perform. It also includes a live auction and a silent auction. All the net proceeds go to support hospice. A limited amount of tickets are still available and can be purchased online this Friday.

Related: Vernon dancers kicking up their heels for hospice

Related: Vernon stars raise record amount

Related: Local celebrities dance for a cause

Related: Vernon Hospice residents return home

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The event included food, drink, live music and painting and a silent and live auction. (Brieanna Charlebois/ Morning Star)
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Holly and Andrew Stein are one of the couples dancing in this year’s Dancing with the Vernon Stars in September. (Brieanna Charlebois/Morning Star)