Parksville Beach Festival Society donates to local Not-for-Profit Organizations

While the Parksville Beach Festival Society members work year round to create the ever popular summer events alongside beautiful Parksville beach, this time of year is when they host their most favorite event: Cheque Presentations to the Volunteer Gate Ambassadors
In a public presentation, October 22, 2019, at City Hall with Parksville City (Acting) Mayor Al Grier and Beach Festival Society board members presented twenty-three (25) philanthropic groups with donation cheques that together totaled $68,818.75. This marks the most funds they have given away to date. These volunteers greeted, counted, informed and gathered feedback from visitors who attended the 2019 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition. This hallmark event captured an outstanding attendance of 115,118 visitors through the sand sculpting gates in 2019.

Parksville Beach Festival president, Cheryl Dill, remarked on the importance of volunteer involvement at Beach Festival. “We are eager to support these not-for-profit groups who help provide essential services for so many local residents,” commented Dill. “Volunteer engagement is key to our event sustainability and helps foster community connections and development.”

The following groups donated over 2700 person hours towards the 2019 event:

• Arrowsmith Search & Rescue
• Bowser Seniors Housing Society
• Catspan (NEW)
• Deep Bay Fire and Rescue
• Forward House Community Society
• Knights of Columbus
• Mid Island Habitat Enhancement Society
• Navy League of Canada Oceanside
• Nanoose Community Services
• Oceanside Community Safety Volunteers
• Oceanside Hospice
• Parksville Curling Club
• Parksville Lawn Bowling
• Parksville Lions Club
• Parksville Lioness Club
• Parksville Qualicum Adult Literacy Society (NEW)
• Parksville Oceanside Quilters (Victoria’s Quilts Canada)
• Parksville Quilt House Guild
• Qualicum & District Curling Club
• Preceptor Delta Zeta
• Rotary Club of Parksville
• Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach Evening
• Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach Sunrise
• Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary Bowser
• Xi Delta Pi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi

The mandate of the Parksville Beach Festival Society is to not only create fun, family-friendly events close to Parksville’s main beach, but also to help the community grow. According to their policies, the Society assigns 25% of their gate proceeds to community projects and philanthropic groups. Contributing to the maintenance and development of the Community Park is also a high priority. Since 1999, the Society has donated just over $700, 000 to non-profit organizations and community projects, which included construction of the park gazebo and community signs. The Society reserves funds annually to help sustain its future events, which can be threatened by such things as inclement weather. In addition to this, the Society is contributing funds to support accessibility as well as the creation of an Outdoor Performance Theatre in Parksville Community Park.

For more information see www.parksvillebeachfest.ca