Community Support
Paddle fundraiser raises over $29,000 for Sunflower Childcare Centre
July 25, 2024
On July 20th, Kristin (Postill) Holomis and her team paddled the length of Kalamalka Lake (18km) in support of the Okanagan College Foundation’s Sunflower childcare campaign, raising more than $29,000 in just a few weeks.“Stand Up For” is an annual local fundraising effort by Kristin Holomis and Brittney Page where they paddleboard the length of Kalamalka Lake in support of a chosen charity. This year they paddled for OC’s new Sunflower Childcare Centre, located on the Vernon campus. Scheduled to open in September, The Sunflower Chi...
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Community leader shares personal story of how sport transformed her life
July 23, 2024
Paula Quinn was only seven years old when she first stepped onto a running track but that experience with athletics dramatically changed her life.Quinn is the former Executive Director of the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence and is active in the Kelowna community sitting on four volunteer boards including the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Regional District of Central Okanagan, B.C. Cancer Foundation and the Airport Advisory Committee.Quinn is now among a growing number of local residents putting their support behind the Thrive Here...
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Okanagan College celebrates ‘construction kick off’ for Recreation and Wellness Centre
June 20, 2024
There was jumping, cartwheels and a full crowd of cheering spectators on Thursday at Okanagan College to mark an exciting milestone that will transform student life at for years to come.Kelowna Cheer Athletics was on hand to help the Okanagan College Foundation celebrate a major fundraising achievement - they’ve raised $10 million for the Thrive Here campaign, and construction can kick off for the future home of the College’s Recreation and Wellness Centre. “Today is a very meaningful day,” remarked Helen Jackman, exec...
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professor named Business Woman of the Year
May 28, 2024
Okanagan College business professor Dr. Kyleen Myrah was named the 2024 Business Woman of the Year by the Kelowna Women In Business (KWIB) organization earlier this month.Myrah was not able to be at the award ceremony as she was with Okanagan College students at the Enactus Canada National Exhibition, doing what she does best, leading students to chase their passions and make a difference with their careers. Myrah’s mother was in attendance along with OC business alum Danielle Walker, who accepted the award...
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BC Anti-Racism Awareness Week, May 27-June 2, 2024
May 27, 2024
Have you seen the Anti-Racism Reminder posters popping up on bulletin boards across campuses recently? As B.C. marks Anti-Racism Awareness Week starting on May 27 to June 2, it’s a good time to reflect on what all of us at Okanagan College are doing to engage with anti-racism in our classrooms, campuses, and communities – and to think about what more we can do.Okanagan College's mission to transform lives and communities and our commitment to equitable and inclusive access to education, make it crucial for each of us to understan...
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Students discuss cultural diversity and community involvement
May 8, 2024
The Asian Heritage Month 2024 opening event hosted by the OCCA Communities Association showcased diverse discussions and captivating performances. Okanagan College was a proud supporter of the event alongside UBC Okanagan. The event celebrated cultural diversity and emphasized community involvement.The panel discussion was led by Dr. Shirley Chau, Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at UBC Okanagan. Students of Asian heritage from Okanagan College, UBC Okanagan, and OKM Secondary joined the discussion, sharing their sto...
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Recsky gift to Recreation and Wellness Centre honours family passion
May 7, 2024
If there was anyone who would understand the need for a Recreation and Wellness Centre at Okanagan College (OC), it would be Alex Recsky.Recsky was hired as OC’s first recreation and intramurals programmer in 1986. It was a job he loved and pursued with passion until his retirement 10 years later, introducing thousands of students to sports and recreational opportunities.Now, Alex’s family are honoring him and his wife Ruth, who are both in their 90s, with a $30,000 donation to the Thrive Here campaign for the Recreation and Wellnes...
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Major gift from BMO to support community progress is worth smiling about
April 9, 2024
A major gift from BMO will support community dental care while making it easier for more people to train to become in-demand Certified Dental Assistants (CDAs).BMO is giving $250,000 to Okanagan College’s (OC) Our Students, Your Health campaign in support of the CDA program. OC’s state-of-the-art dental suite, used for training and as a community clinic, will receive $150,000. An additional $100,000 will be used to kickstart a hands-on learning pilot program that will enable people to become CDAs while they continue to work.In...
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Suspense and intrigue guaranteed in Red Dot Players' biggest production yet
March 8, 2024
Get your ticket and climb aboard for a delightful evening of murder and mystery as OC’s Red Dot Players bring to life Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. For the play’s assistant Director and alumna Kendra Holly Grant, the support of Red Dot Players and her former professor has given her the opportunity to take her skills from the classroom to directing her first show. “I am very excited to progress my knowledge with Jeremy Beaulne, who was my teacher and mentor while attending Okanagan College,” said ...
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Thrive Here video celebrates lessons learned in a 'classroom like no other'
March 8, 2024
For 20-year-old AJ Nguoth, playing basketball is about more than jump shots and free throws.On the court, Nguoth says he works through real life struggles as he's putting his energy into the game. Playing basketball is also a reminder that he is on the right path. The sport has been his north star since he was 11, keeping him focused on school and inspiring him to dream big for his life.Nguoth, an Okanagan College Coyotes Basketball player and first-year student, is one of several student athletes featured in a new video by the O...
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Highstreet champions careers in Trades with $1-million gift to Okanagan College to benefit students
February 28, 2024
Are you considering post-secondary? Kelowna-based real estate and development company, Highstreet, wants you to know that pursuing a skilled trade can lead to a rewarding career, full of growth, success and leadership opportunities.It is this message and a desire to support students that has motivated Highstreet to donate an astounding $1 million dollars to Okanagan College’s Trades and Apprenticeship programs.Their gift will focus on providing financial support to students starting an entry-level trades program. Thirteen annual bur...
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Serwa Spirit Match to raise $1M for Thrive Here campaign for a Recreation and Wellness Centre
February 7, 2024
Cliff Serwa describes himself and his wife Lois as just ‘ordinary people with a fair bit of determination working to make things happen.’ That may be true, but the results and impact of their determination on the community, the province and beyond are far reaching and forever lasting. And now they are leading the way to a better future for students at Okanagan College (OC).When approached to support the Thrive Here campaign to build a much-needed Recreation and Wellness Centre at the College’s Kelowna campus, not only did Cliff...
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City of Kelowna supports trades programs through garbage truck donation
November 1, 2023
One person’s trash certainly can be another’s treasure. The City of Kelowna proved the old saying true by donating a garbage truck to Okanagan College’s Trades and Apprenticeship program this September. “When we determined that this garbage truck was at the end of its service life, we were happy to donate it as a hands-on training tool for Okanagan College students,” said Scott Hoekstra, Manager, Landfill & Composing Operations, City of Kelowna. “We’re facing a shortage of skilled trades professionals, and we know that this do...
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THRIVE HERE campaign kicks off with record-level support
October 25, 2023
Okanagan College Foundation launches campaign to build a new Recreation and Wellness Centre at its Kelowna campus; Folk family makes record-setting gift KELOWNA - It’s ‘Game Day’ at Okanagan College! Today, students, donors, leaders, staff and community members came together to celebrate the launch of the Thrive Here campaign to build a new Recreation and Wellness Centre on the Kelowna campus. Making the announcement to the approximately 100 people in attendance, including members from the Coyotes basketball and baseball tea...
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fundraiser to light way for new childcare centre
October 18, 2023
Dress up with your kids, enjoy a matinee, then parade downtown Vernon with glow up lanterns and a stilt walker. An upcoming event aims to cast a glow on children’s faces while also lighting a path for a new childcare centre at Okanagan College’s Vernon campus. The Okanagan College Foundation is hosting Glow UP: A Matinee, Masquerade and Lantern Light Up Saturday, Oct. 28. Participants can make their own lanterns at an upcoming workshop hosted by local artists at Okanagan College Saturday, Oct. 21 between 10 a.m. and 2...
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student chefs supporting community
August 25, 2023
You can call it cooking with love. Students from the Okanagan Chef School at Okanagan College dropped plans this week for a final feast to celebrate the end of their program and jumped into supporting the local emergency response instead. Typically, students at the Okanagan Chef School host a community dinner at the end of their year and one was planned for this week. However, when the event had to be cancelled due to the area wildfires, the students decided to shift their focus to preparing meals for those engaged in the r...
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