St. Albert residents can get wet to help pets and people this weekend at a pair of charitable events.
Clearwater Carwash is holding its second annual Wash Away the Hunger fundraiser this Aug. 30 in support of the St. Albert Food Bank and Community Village.
The City of St. Albert will hold its annual Grosvenor Dog Swim Sept. 2 to raise money for Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS).
Wash car, feed people
Clearwater Carwash site manager Jayson Sevilla said he got the idea to hold a fundraiser for the food bank last October after seeing all the empty shelves in the food banks’ warehouse (which is across the street from the business).
“The demand [for food] is quite high right now, but donations are actually stagnant,” Sevilla said.
Sevilla said the car wash decided to do the fundraiser again this month to celebrate its second anniversary. Last year’s event collected about $1,300 and four large construction bins of food.
“So far, we’re on pace for beating that,” Sevilla said on Aug. 22, adding that they hoped to reach $3,000 and five bins by the end of August.
Sevilla said Aug. 30 will be the main event for the fundraiser, with crews offering free car washes to anyone who donates at least $5 to the food bank between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Guests can enjoy free food from food trucks, enter a raffle, and spin a wheel for prizes.
St. Albert Food Bank executive director Suzan Krecsy said Clearwater is an incredible supporter of the food bank, adding many of its employees also volunteer at the food bank.
“Our shelves are pretty much empty right now,” she said, and demand is high — the food bank distributed some 659 hampers in July 2024, up from 480 in July 2023.
Krecsy said the food bank is particularly interested in cash and peanut-free snacks for kids.
Sevilla encouraged people to support the food bank at this event.
“The help will go to people who really need it.”
Questions on the fundraiser should go to Clearwater Carwash at 587-520-0718.
Dip dog, help dog
On Sept. 2, city crews will open Grosvenor Pool to dogs as part of the annual Grosvenor Dog Swim. Held most years since 2012, the event supports SCARS and coincides with the annual fall closure of St. Albert’s outdoor water facilities.
City recreation facilities senior manager Kelly McConnell said anyone who makes a donation to SCARS (either cash or a gently used pet-related item) can let their dog take a dip in the pool. Some 250 dogs went for a swim last year, raising about $2,500.
McConnell said guests at the dog swim should enter and exit the pool area by the back gate (not through the change rooms) and supervise their dogs while they are in the water. Dogs must be able to exit the water alone or with help from their owners from the side of the pool. People are not allowed to be in the pool with the dogs, and dogs are not allowed to drink from the pool. (Bowls of fresh water will be available.)
The pool will be open to dogs for swimming from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 2 before it closes for the winter. St. Albert’s two splash parks will also close for the season at the end of that day.
City recreation infrastructure manager Darrell Tanton said crews would start winterizing Grosvenor Pool and the splash parks soon after. This would involve cleaning filters, draining the pool and pipes, and plugging drains. He expected to find a lot of dog hair in the filters at Grosvenor after the dog swim.
Visit stalbert.ca/events/calendar/recreation/dog-swim for details.
