The crisp October air floats through a light breeze as cars begin to queue in the Vernon Lodge parking lot.
Volunteers sporting heavy down-filled vests, toques and mittens cart breakfast bags around the lot while Vernon Vipers wash windows and Queen and Princess Silver Star accept donations. The community rallied at the Vernon Lodge Thursday morning in support of United Way North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap’s 17th annual United Way Drive-Thru Breakfast.
The breakfast kicks off United Way’s fundraising campaign, supporting community partners such as the Enderby and District Family Resource Centre, men and women’s sexual abuse programs, Independent Living Vernon, Kindale Developmental Association, Upper Room Mission, Suicide Prevention Program, Falkland after school programs, the First Nations Friendship Centre and the list goes on.
United Way’s breakfast shows that Vernon cares. Local businesses donated goodies for the breakfast bags, volunteers offered their time and efforts, and the community answered, with donations for United Way totalling $11,200.
“This is one of several events we do throughout the year to keep awareness about the United Way and raise funds to help the 20 plus agencies that we support,” said Linda Yule, executive director.
United Way North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap works hard to improve the quality of life in our communities.
And, as evidenced by the Drive-Thru Breakfast, the community readily does its part to support United Way.