Brittney Page and Kristin Postill will paddle board the length of Kalamalka Lake in support of the Starfish Backpack Program (photo courtesy of the Stand Up For fundraiser website)

By Liam Verster

Stand Up For... Fundraiser

Paddle boarders to raise funds to help feed kids in need

Aug 17, 2022 | 4:00 PM

A paddle board fundraising challenge in Coldstream will benefit a good cause.

Okanagan locals Brittney Page and Kristin Postill will host their annual “Stand Up For…” fundraiser in support of the Starfish Backpack Program this year.

The event will see the two women paddle board the length of Kalamalka Lake, which is approximately 18 kilometres, in support of the program that provides backpacks full of food to elementary school students in need to take home each weekend of the school year.

“The last two years have been really tough on a lot of people in our community,” said Page.

“The thought of a child worrying about how they are going to eat over the weekend is heartbreaking. Starfish Pack is an amazing program that helps students in the Greater Vernon area get proper nourishment and takes a lot of pressure off families who are struggling to keep up.”

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The Starfish Program is operated by the Kalamalka Starfish Society, but was initiated by Kalamalka Rotary, which covers administrative costs.

Money raised through the campaign will be used to buy groceries at cost from Save-On-Foods Village Green.

It’s estimated that filling the backpacks will cost around $600 per child this upcoming school year, so the paddle boarders have set their fundraising goal at $24,000.

“This will help feed 40 children in our community for the school year,” said Postill.

“We are determined to achieve our goal and, with the supportive community we have here in the Okanagan, we can only hope we reach it and then some.”

Donations to the “Stand Up For…” campaign can be made online here.

The paddle boarding event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3.

This is the fifth annual “Stand Up For…” paddle boarding fundraiser led by Page and Postill. To date, they have collected over $100,000 for community organizations.

Previous recipients of their support have been the Okanagan Rail Trail, KidSport Okanagan, People Place in Vernon and Archway Society.