The fundraising efforts of the Vancouver Island Region Porsche Club of America’s recent visit to Ucluelet have been tallied and the results are record breaking.
The Porsche Club has been using Ucluelet as the backdrop for their annual getaway for the past five years and every year they express their appreciation for the community’s hosting efforts by raising funds for Ucluelet’s volunteer fire brigade.
The club joined the local fire crew to host a salmon barbecue and fireworks display at Big Beach on May 23 and the tandem came together again on May 24 to host a pancake breakfast at the Black Rock Resort.
The resort was also the scene of the club’s May 24 brunch where two metal banners were auctioned off bringing in about $5,200 worth of fire brigade support.
This sum was supplemented by money pitched into a donation jar on hand throughout the weekend and the total tally dished out to the fire crew came to an impressive $9,200, according to municipal councillor Randy Oliwa.
The total dwarfs last year’s fundraised sum of roughly $5,000.
“Another outstanding contribution to the community by this group so thank you to that organization for pulling that off,†Oliwa said.
Oliwa said the money will go towards a new Custom Gator device that will assist the fire crew with potential rescues in isolated areas like the Wild Pacific Trail.
The roughly 140-member Porsche driving convoy also dropped dollars throughout Ucluelet’s businesses and Oliwa hopes the annual economic stimulant will continue though a leadership change may have Ucluelet’s place on the club’s schedule in flux.
“There will be a little bit of a change on their board and I think that’s where the discrepancy is on whether or not the Porsche Club will come back to Ucluelet next year but from every indication from everybody I talked to there Ucluelet’s definitely number one on their list even with the new executive coming in, but we’ll have to wait and see,†Oliwa said.
He said he mingled with Porsche Club members at a banquet held at Black Rock on May 23 and heard “resounding appreciation back to the community from each and every one of them.â€
He said the Ucluelet’s ability to “seamlessly†host the event helps the community’s chances of providing the backdrop for the club’s future annual getaways.
Ucluelet’s municipal council plans to write a formal letter to the club expressing their appreciation.
reporter@westerlynews.ca