The Shuswap Trail Party and Fundraiser lights up the Salmon Arm Rec Centre Friday, February 1^st. Tickets to the deep winter social event are available at Lakeside Insurance, Salmon Arm Financial, Skookum Cycle and Ski, Ridetech, Kula Movement and Wellness, in Salmon Arm, and AJs and the Worx/Powder Lites in Sicamous, or by calling 250-804-5264, or email info@shuswaptrails.com. 

“We’re extending a wide call to new community leaders and businesses to share their support this year,” announces Winston Pain, chair of the Shuswap Trail Alliance, noting that every dollar raised at the event lays the path for continued development of greenway trails throughout the Shuswap in the coming year. “Every volunteer hour, every leveraged dollar, every community project the Shuswap Trail Alliance supports happens only because we come together and put these base funds in place,” says Winston, noting the Shuswap Trail Alliance was able to work on 38 projects with regional partners last year. 

Already over 30 contributions to the silent auction have been received, which is known for a healthy representation of active experiences on the bidding table. The organizing team was humbled by the early response from sponsors. “Once again, Waterways Vacations were first out of the gate contributing a signature weekend houseboat getaway valued at $4400,” shares Winston. And Browne Johnson Land Surveyors were quick on their heels with a cash donation of $1000. “Contributions like this go a long way to support projects like our new volunteer Trail Stewards program,” acknowledges Winston. “But we need to grow our partner base this year to really make things sustainable into the future. Please join us.” 

The annual Trail Party and Fundraiser features a full on silent auction, locally sourced and prepared appies, a cash bar hosted by the Salmon Arm Fire Department, loads of photos from another year of trail projects throughout the Shuswap, and a whole lot of music and dancing powered by the hotly anticipated return of Scarecrow – the band. Master DJ, EZ Rock’s Patrick Ryley, lays in the foundation sound tracks for the evening. And this year, the Shuswap Trail Alliance is excited to welcome Mike and Stephanie of Million Dollars in Pennies as the evening’s MCs. 

“Mike and Stephanie just returned from a self-powered concert tour across Canada on bicycles. They’re perfect ambassadors of what the Shuswap Trail Alliance is working with partners to achieve,” says Winston, pointing to the healthy combination of music and bicycles. “They inspire us all to park our cars, and get outside and on our feet!” 

Tickets sell out well in advance of the February event, so the organizing team encourages people to pick them up early. “The event attracts such a diverse group of community and business leaders throughout the Shuswap,” says Margaret Moores, co-chair of the planning team. “It’s become a great way to catch up with folks in the middle of winter, and it supports such good things throughout the region.” 

To make a sponsor contribution to the silent auction and for info on the February 1^st Shuswap Trails celebration call Winston Pain at Lakeside Insurance 250-832-8103 (winston@lakesideins.bc.ca). 

To find out more about Shuswap Trails throughout the region and the Shuswap Trail Alliance, visit www.shuswaptrails.com. 

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