Getting together and giving back
The Carmichael team celebrates their victory in the kickball tournament.
Close to 200 people gathered in downtown Nanaimo’s Gyro Park under sunny skies to celebrate Community Living Month with a BBQ and kickball tournament fundraising event. Funds were raised through donations for hot dogs, chips, granola bars and drinks, and for the dunk tank, a popular activity for the event.
“Kickball is the main attraction for the event but everyone loves the chance to dunk someone they know,” said Nick Borzel, a CLBC facilitator in Nanaimo and favourite at the dunking tank.
Kickball teams are coordinated through the local service providers, and this year saw the introduction of new players from Carmichael Enterprises and Skills for Life, a program for transitioning youth. In all, there were six teams with a CLBC facilitator and analyst participating on each team.
The September 29 event has been held for the last four years, and is the result of teamwork between CLBC and local service providers Nanaimo Association for Community Living, Nanaimo Supportive Lifestyles, Skanna, Claytree Society, and Explorer. The group organizes the event and the teams, and chooses a local charity each year that will receive the funds that are raised.
This year, it is the local food bank, Loaves and Fishes, which is benefiting from close to $600, over 100 cans of non-perishable food and two pieces of art for a silent auction to provide additional funding. Many of Nanaimo’s self-advocates work or volunteer at the food bank.
Volunteers and donations were also important to being able to hold the event. Service providers and CLBC staff cooked food, helped coordinate the kickball tournament and were dunked in the dunk tank. Nanaimo Association for Community Living donated the food for the BBQ, Explorers helped get the dunk tank, and Vivid Photography documented the event with photos.
“It’s a fun event and a great way to connect people,” says Nick. “Next year, we’ll be looking for a bigger venue so more people from the surrounding area can participate.”
To view all photos of the event, visit vividphotography.smugmug.com/Sports/Kickball.
