Funtastic Alberni gave away $31,000 in charitable donations last month, thanks to funds raised through its annual summertime slopitch tournament and music festival.
Seventeen groups received funds this year: Read & Feed Breakfast Program; EJ Dunn Backpack Program; Kidsport; AV Minor Softball; AV Lacrosse Association; ADSS Wrestling Club; ADSS Athletic Dept; Bursary to Graduating Student/ADSS; Alberni Valley Bulldogs; Athletic Hall Association; Elite Dance Academy; Alberni Teens Can Rock; ZattZoo Music Program; Port Alberni Special Olympics; Hugginz By Angel; Pathways/PA Association for Community Living, and the Port Alberni Kinsmen.
“Like last year we had more requests for funds than we had to donate,” said Paul Robertson, executive director for Funtastic Alberni.
Groups apply for funds after the Canada Day weekend slopitch event is over and the board members go over each application and decide where the funds will be donated. The board tries to help as many as they can.
“The charities and the businesses in Port Alberni are the real winners,” he said.
”The City of Port Alberni did a economic survey in 2014 and with 56 teams…the revenue generated was just over $400,000,” Robertson said.
“The past few years with 80 teams coming to town and the bigger music festival, the economic spinoff has to be in the $750,000 range. With music festival headliner Trooper we had our best year to date. Talking to some of our sponsors, they are saying it’s getting to be the busiest weekend of the year for them.”
Planning for 2019 is well under way and organizers are working on the music festival this month, he added.
In addition to charitable donations being handed out, Funtastic also honoured some of its volunteers. The Wayne Demoskoff Volunteer of the Year award went to Les Smith, with Jim Groenendyk getting an honourable mention.
“This is a 100 percent volunteer effort,” Robertson said. “Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, the teams and all those who came out in support of our non-profit.”
Funtastic Alberni has given away more than $125,000 in the past six years, he added.
Check out the website at www.funtasticalberni.com.