The St. Albert Kinettes had every intention of opening up the newly redeveloped playground at the Woodlands Water Play Park last Saturday, but there was the small matter of a days-long storm that rained out the party.
"With the rain that was happening, we had to cancel the barbecue for the opening of the playground," says the group's spokesperson Erica Samis.
That's why it has been moved to today. Weather permitting, it will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Samis added she has her fingers crossed for sunny skies.
"If its pouring rain, I don't think we'll do it."
10,000 shoes means smelly charity work
Jill Burt knows how much she will suffer to give back to the community.
"I have a lot of shoes, and the funny thing is, I have a car full of shoes," she laughed, during an interview Thursday. "It's not really smelling all that nice in this hot weather today."
The St. Albert woman is putting the last touches on one stage of a project she started to honour a late friend. Since Carol Majeau reportedly had a sizeable collection of fashionable footwear, Burt is collecting gently used and new shoes to donate to financially struggling men, women and children in the Ukraine. Later this afternoon, she will be packing them up and sending them to Humanitarian Aid Response Teams (HART), the international Christian relief group that is directing the effort.
She isn't sure how many shoes she will be sending off this time but she previously sent off 2,200 pairs. She is still hoping to reach that magic goal of 10,000 so she will likely pick up the cause again in the near future.
The group is also taking donations of shoe polish and laces before noon today at the Sturgeon Valley Baptist Church located at 51 Woodlands Rd., across from Neil M. Ross Elementary.
For more information, visit the group's Facebook page at '10,000 Shoes.'
Glenrose golf event over, SAIF fundraiser next month
Doreen Slessor tried so hard to put in a full day of charity golf on Monday — the longest day of the year — that she injured herself and is now out for the season.
She and her husband, Andrew, raised nearly $3,000 for the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation's annual fundraiser at the Blackhawk Golf Club near Spruce Grove. She played in soggy course conditions and fended off hordes of unexpected ground-dwelling visitors, before wrenching a crucial muscle.
"It was pouring rain and all the worms came out," she laughed. Midway through day, she had a 15-minute technique help session with a golf pro, making her work harder than perhaps she should have. "I was working on getting an extra 100 yards in my drive and I tore my bicep tendon. I did a real number on it."
She made it through 67 holes, putting for the last 30, but she's still looking forward to recovering in time for next year's event.
Until then, the director of St. Albert Stop Abuse in Families is asking the public to come out and support that agency's major fundraiser. The Dave Hanson Memorial Golf Classic takes place on Tuesday, July 12 at Twin Willows Golf Club in northwest Edmonton. It costs $125 to play and all proceeds go to support SAIF's programming and counselling services.
Call 460-2195 or visit www.stopabuse.ca for more information.
