Parksville Beach Festival Society makes a big donation 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 is their most favourite time of year when they share gate proceeds with the Volunteer Gate Ambassadors

In a public presentation, October 6, 2022, at City Hall with Parksville City Mayor and Council and Beach Festival Society board members presented twenty-six (26) philanthropic groups with donation cheques that together totaled $75,012. This marks the most funds they have given away to date.  These volunteers greeted, counted, informed and gathered feedback from visitors who attended the 2022 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition. This well known, international event captured a strong attendance of over 115,000 visitors through the sand sculpting gates in 2022.

Parksville Beach Festival president, Cheryl Dill, remarked on the importance of volunteer involvement at Beach Festival. “These not-for-profit groups 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 2022 event:

1. Bowser Seniors Housing Society
2. Catspan
3. Deep Bay Fire/Rescue Society
4. Forward House Community Society
5. Fraternal Order of Eagles 3922
6. Hub International
7. Knights of Columbus Ascension Council 7991
8. Lions Club of Parksville
9. Men’s Shed Parksville
10. Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society
11. Oceanside Community Arts Council/McMillan Arts Centre
12. Oceanside Community Safety
13. Oceanside Hospice Society
14. Parksville Curling Club
15. Parksville Lawn Bowling Club
16. Parksville Parkinson’s Disease Support Group
17. Parksville Qualicum Adult Literacy Society
18. Parksville Quilt House Quilter’s Guild
19. Parksville Quilters (part of nationwide Victoria’s Quilts)
20. Parksville-Qualicum Elks #589
21. Preceptor Delta Zeta
22. Qualicum & District Curling Club
23. Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach
24. Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary Bowser #211
25. Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary Parksville #49
26. 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 close to $1,000,000 to non-profit organizations and community projects, which included construction of the new outdoor theatre, 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. For more information see www.parksvillebeachfest.ca