Kelowna’s drive-thru breakfast fundraiser returns after three-year hiatus – Okanagan

Certainly one of Kelowna’s most well-known fundraisers is again. Residents had been up vivid and early Thursday morning to seize breakfast in help of the native United Method.

After a three-year hiatus, Maxine DeHart’s drive-thru breakfast has returned to Kelowna’s Ramada Inn.

“It’s completely unbelievable. Actually, I have a look at the automobiles, I don’t know what to say, I’m so comfortable. I all the time fear within the first hour if individuals are going to return however they all the time do, they all the time come out,” mentioned DeHart, founding father of the fundraiser.

In 2018, DeHart introduced that it might be her final time spearheading the fundraiser, however given all of the financial fallout from the pandemic, she felt the necessity to stick with it once more in 2022.

“COVID hit, the charities actually took successful they usually want the cash. Earlier than, issues had been totally different – there have been loads of charities, that they had cash, and other people gave yearly. It’s totally different now. COVID has modified our lives and I feel it’s going to proceed to vary our lives,” mentioned.

Automobiles had been lined up for hours to help the fundraiser and all the cash raised might be going proper again into the group.

“(It) will go to help many charities on this metropolis in addition to meals safety. We’re discovering on this time with inflation and excessive meals prices that our meals safety, our meals hubs are seeing households and college students who’re discovering it tough to make ends meet and this can go a protracted strategy to serving to them out,” mentioned Michael McKnight, United Method of BC president and chief govt officer.

The funding may also help applications for youngsters and seniors in Kelowna. McKnight says seeing residents come out in full pressure Thursday morning exhibits their dedication to serving to their neighbours.

“In tough instances, communities present resilience when folks come collectively to assist one another and I feel this can be a actually nice demonstration of the power of this group,” McKnight mentioned.

Whereas DeHart has urged she might cease organizing the breakfast, she admits there’s an excellent likelihood she’ll be again.

“We’ll simply have to attend and see the way it goes. However you understand if folks hold supporting it, why not do it?”

No less than $40,000 was raised Thursday, marking a complete of greater than $1 million raised within the 21 years of the occasion.