Flex's Road to Rio Fundraiser

When

30/04/2016    
12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Where

The Pub Bar & Grill at Park Place Lodge
742 Hwy #3, Fernie, BC, V0B 1M0

Event Type

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Shon Cottrill, aka Flex, is hoping to represent Canada in the 2016 Paralympics for kayaking this summer.

The Pub is hosting a fundraiser on Saturday to help Flex attain this goal.

On Apr. 30, The Pub will be hosting the Flex’s Road to Rio Fundraiser. From noon until night, there will be events and activities, with all proceeds going toward sending once-local Shon “Flex” Cottrill to the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics.

“Flex’s Fundraiser is an event to raise money to help Shon Cottrill, aka Flex, go to the Paralympics this summer in Rio de Janeiro. Flex is a former Fernie local, who’s always been a very avid extreme whitewater kayaker. In 2013, Flex was paralyzed while seal launching his kayak at Lake Koocanusa,” said The Pub’s Manager, Eveliene Eijsermans. “At the time, Flex’s prognosis looked grim and he was looking at life in a wheelchair. Flex decided to not give up and keep doing what he loved, kayaking. Two and a half years later he’s the reigning Canadian Paralympic Sprint Kayak Champion.”

Before his Paralympic dream is possible, the kayaker must qualify in Germany. According to Eijsermans, proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward the athletes training and travel expenses.

“To make his way to Rio he needs to post a qualifying time at time trials and compete at the World Sprint Kayak Championships in Germany at the end of May, where he needs to make finals to be chosen for Rio. The fundraiser is meant to help Flex cover his training and travel expenses,” she said.

The event will feature many activities, including bake sales, a dunk tank and live music.

“The fundraiser will be a mini outdoor carnival style festival, during the day. We’re having a garage sale, a bake sale, a bouncy castle, a dunk tank, an outdoor beer garden, BBQ, a cotton candy machine, local vendors and there will be music outside. The day’s activities will run from noon till 6 p.m.,” said Eijsermans. “At 8 p.m. we will be holding a live auction in The Pub, which many local businesses have been willing to donate to. At 9 p.m. we’ll kick off a dance party with many local DJ’s. The DJ’s are willing to put their payment straight to the fundraiser.”

There was a garage sale in the past for Flex and the event raised approximately $5,000. A Park Place Lodge employee brought the idea to Eijsermans with the idea of making it bigger and better. The Park Place Lodge has requested a street closure and an increase to their liquor license area for the day in hopes to send Flex to the Paralympics.

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