Despite chilly weather — which organizer Alex Buterman says bothers the parents a lot more than the kids — the annual Bob McWhinnie Day celebration was a great success once again.
“It was great,” Buterman said. “We raised about $800 at the bake sale alone and I think overall probably made $1200 this year.”
Buterman says that Bob McWhinnie inspired him to be more involved in the community.
“To me, the reason we have McWhinnie Day is Bob. He built the park. A lot of the kids coming out now don’t know who he was, but they respect the park.”
Buterman was sad to hear that the washrooms at the park had been vandalized this week.
“We do respect the park, we don’t graffiti it. It bugs me to know that there was vandalism. That’s a bummer. But on the whole, the kids really do respect the park.”
Apart from remembering Bob McWhinnie, the annual McWhinnie Day also raises funds to enhance the park. In fact, the washrooms which were vandalized were built with McWhinnie Day funds.
A ballot was taken last Sunday asking what other enhancements could be built with the money.
“The kids want a staircase for jumping,” Buterman said. “I really have my heart set on a permanent stage/shelter and I’m afraid that the money we do have could be gobbled up pretty quick trying to build a jump because you have to have a concrete run into it as well. But myself and the rest of the design team are going to go look at it and see where it might fit.
“It’s either the staircase or a stage.”
As always McWhinnie Day couldn’t happen without a lot of support from volunteers and local businesses. Buterman wants to acknowledge all of them.
Food: Mark Creek Market, Overwaitea Foods, Steam Donkey Coffee, Buddha Belly Deli, and all the wonderful people in the community that donated bake sale items.
Prizes: Funhogz Gear Exchange, Kimberley Dollar Store, The Choice, Gericks Sports, Favorit Cycles, Kootenay Mountain Works, Kimberley Home Hardware, Meadowbrook Motors, Joel Conway/Clayton Smith Foundation, Just Liquid
Event Sponsors and Support: East Kootenay Paddlers Society (Host), Columbia Basin Trust, Daily Bulletin, Rays Music, Mr. James & McKim DJ Club
Folks that make the food happen: Wade Wetmore, Ashley Wetmore, Drew Wetmore, Allison Koe, Jane Fox
Prize Guys: Ryan Peterson (organizer,band member, announcer), Russ Peebles (sponsor, bike repair tent)