The Merritt Rotary Club’s flood recovery fund received another boost from two recent donations to their ongoing relief efforts. The donations, stemming from a church in Kamloops and the proceeds of a local mountain bike race, will allow the club to move into the third stage of funding in its Disaster Relief Fund.
The Merritt Crown, a 120 kilometre endurance race around Merritt and the Nicola Valley, was founded by Darch Oborne, a prominent member of the Rotary Club. All proceeds from this year’s iteration of the annual event went directly to the club, totalling $14,000. The club also received a $7,000 cheque from the United Church in Kamloops. The funds will be given to those affected by the November 2021 flooding event.
“We are in the final phase of our Rotary Disaster Relief Fund work,” said Leslee Lucy, president of the local club.
“We were short about $20,000 to meet the goals we had set to help the residents of Merritt who were adversely impacted by the flood of November 15. With this cheque and one we have received from the United Church in Kamloops, this gives us the funds we need to complete the work we started. The amount of support we received from across Canada and the Northwestern United States has been very heartwarming to say the least.”
The Rotary Club of Merritt has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in fundraised flood recovery money to impacted individuals and families, and will discontinue the fund after the final round of disbursement. The club hopes to get back to its usual work of organizing community events, and giving funds back to a number of local causes and initiatives.
Over 160 participants took part in the 2022 Merritt Crown race, raising the total of $14,000 towards the Rotary Club’s initiatives. Those taking part ride must ride 120km of trail throughout the Nicola Valley within a 12 hour span. The $7,000 from Kamloops United Church was raised through community initiatives.
For more information on the Rotary Club of Merritt, including their Disaster Relief Fund, visit www.rotarymerritt.com.