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Straight from DeHart: Kelowna puts me past my goal

“It was truly overwhelming and has been very emotional for me over the past few weeks.”
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Thanks a million Kelowna! You did it again. In just three hours we raised well over $110,453.00 which works out to nearly $37,000.00 per hour in the Maxine DeHart “Grand Finale” United Way - Ramada Hotel, Drive-Thru Breakfast on Oct. 11. I am extremely thankful to all of you who opened your hearts and your wallets on this special day.

It was truly overwhelming and has been very emotional for me over the past few weeks. During the past 20 years we now have raised close to $900,000 for the United Way with all monies staying right here in our very own community. The residents of Kelowna should be very proud of this accomplishment.

Personal thanks to all the sponsors; existing ones that have stuck by me for 20 years and the new sponsors that have come on board throughout the years to make the event even more exciting. Also, thank you to the Media, RCMP, Auxiliary, City of Kelowna, By-Laws, volunteers and everyone that helped in the bagging the evening before and the envelope stuffing to make this event a huge success.

The tremendous support from all of you is nothing less than overwhelming.

Special thanks to the Ramada staff and the owners of the Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre; the Prystay and Rosen families for their support over the past 20 years and to Craig Prystay for his generous donation.

Thank you to Tom Budd and the Thomas Alan Budd Foundation for the generous donation of $20,000.00 celebrating the 20 years of the event. Not sure who the anonymous on-line donor was (United Way said that person did not want me to know) but with his/her generous matching donation of $20,000.00 we raised another $40,000.00.

All sponsors, contributing businesses and others will be formally thanked and listed in a special “Thank You” in the Kelowna Capital News. Again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

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Thank you Kelowna.

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Congratulations to the many grand prize winners: Dawn Ewen (Westjet Travel Voucher); Donna Basran (Have a Heart Diamond Necklace - donated by Michelle Urbanovitch, GIA Graduate Gemologist); Gordon and Rosemary Rattray (Pacific Coastal Airlines Travel Voucher); Jennifer Park (Urban Systems -Electra Townie EQ 7D Cruiser Bike); Magdalina Brunner (Waste Connections of Canada - Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite); Erika Goossen (Inspire Property Management Apple iPad - 6th Generation); Taylor Armbrust and Ashley Geiger (CapriCMW RoadScan Canada DC3 Dashboard Cameras); June Bianchini (Sleep Country Serta 28” Sheep); Josh Fillmore (Mario’s $1,000.00 Flight Centre Gift Card); Jill Lemke (Papa John’s Pizza for a month - there are eleven other winners that go directly to Papa John’s); Kayla Yoshida (KelownaNow.com - One ounce pure silver coin - “Tree of Luck”); Xioma Pinzoo (Heritage Office Furnishings -Leather Office Chair); Michelle Biffart (Canadian Home Builders Association of the Central Okanagan - Cordless Dewalt Drill); Elaine McCrea (Divine Inspired Gifts & Gallery - Himalayan Salt Lamp); Ron Helgason (Cherry Hill Coffee Gift Basket); Karlie Stecko, Mitch Michel, Janet Pierce, Ron Solstead and Patrick Macey (Creative Mortgage $100.00 Prepaid Mastercards); Judith Krantz, Garth Pollack and Richard Fischer (Care Dental - EasyClean Sonicare Professional Electric Toothbrushes); Betty Casey, Irene Young, Ron Pidskalny, Michael Corns, Ken Black, Megan Hoffman, Clarence Johnson, Joe Garrison, Bill Sinclair, Denise Yamabe and Donald Carter (Earl’s Metal Art - Metal Art Piece); Runjit Shahi and Lillian Voyelgesary (Turner Volkswagen Deluxe Vehicle Detail); Lisa MacNeil and Irene Young (Glenmore Martial Arts Gift Baskets); James Janzen (BlueStar Coachlines BBQ); Sylvia Crones and Janice Walters (Sleep Country - Full Bed Linen Gift Packages); Greg Irvine, Lisa Hallman and Samuel Jennens (Live Well Exercise Clinic - Fitbits - Alta HR); Moira Burtch (Mattress Mattress - 2 Natural Queen Size Utopia Latex Pillows); Maria Johannson and Phil Wilkins (Nature’s Fare Market Deluxe Baskets); Jeremy Jamieson (Interstate All Battery Centre - Portable Charger); Magda Kapp (Symmetry Studios Deluxe Gift Certificate).

There are still several gifts that have not been picked up. Please re-check your bags as we will be giving the gifts back to the sponsors if not picked up in the next few days or so.

James Janzen, winner of the BlueStar Coachlines BBQ - you did not leave us your phone number and there is a propane tank that goes with your BBQ. If you see this or if anyone knows James, would you please have him give me a call at the hotel to pick up the propane tank.

There are other gifts that the winners collected from other businesses, including the London Drugs TV, Haven Mattress and a framed picture from Picture Perfect Galleries. The winners will be announced in future columns, along with other major gifts as they are picked up.

Birthdays of the week

Happy 70th Al Kirschner (Oct. 27); Happy 55 Darran Light (Oct. 28); Dianne Belanger (Oct. 24); Colleen Brown (Oct. 24); Vicki Campbell (Oct. 24); Robin Letvinchuk (Oct. 24); Sean Barr (Oct. 24); Leon

Thomas (Oct. 25); Terry Wardrop (Oct. 27); Gary Topham (Oct. 28); Mark Beaulieu (Oct. 29); Laurie Baird (Oct. 30); Denis Picard (Oct. 30).

Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662, fax 250-860-3173, E-mail maxdehart@telus.net.