There are often plenty of paddleboarders in Crescent Beach.
There were many more than usual on Saturday, July 22 – and for good reason.
It was for Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s Champion of the Crescent fundraiser, an annual paddle board event in support of child and youth mental health that raised $265,200 this year.
Featuring teams of paddleboarders who competed in fast-paced races and relays, the fundraising event “100 per cent” has an impact, said Paula Sandhu, clinical operations manager for child youth and young adult services (within Fraser Health, mental health and substance use services), at the event.
“Fraser Health alone is home to over 42 per cent of our province’s youth,” she noted.
“The funds (raised) from this event will directly impact those youth.”
She was pleased to see such a great turnout.
“It’s incredible! It’s so great to see all these people here to support kids’ mental health.”
READ ALSO: Champion of the Crescent paddleboard event to return this summer
The pandemic may have exacerbated underlying mental health concerns, she said, as “the loss in structure and the loss of social networks, the things that kids used as outlets for their mental health were sort of taken away, and now it’s trying to get back to some sort of normalcy.”
David McFarlane, EllisDon executive vice-president and Chief Operating Officer, who is on the Foundation’s executive, echoed Sandhu’s sentiment.
“It’s nice to see so many new people from the community coming out to support this,” he said Saturday at the beach, with music playing in the background as paddleboarders readied for the next race/relay event.
“It’s lots of fun.”
Surrey Hospitals Foundation are able to allocate the funds raised where its needed most, “so it could be programs, or it could be bricks and mortar,” he said.
“It’s important to me personally. I live in Surrey… I have three boys. One was born at Surrey Memorial,”said McFarlane.
– with files from Anna Burns
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tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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