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Splish, splash — the bathtub race is coming

The third annual Great Ogopogo Bathtub Race
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Tubbers round the turn on Okanagan Lake during Saturday’s Great Ogopogo Bathtub Race.

Bathtubs, bathtubs, bathtubs – now even better for spectators

The third annual Great Ogopogo Bathtub Race, hosted by the Summerland Yacht Club in support of the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation, is all set to go on Saturday, Aug. 19 at Powell Beach in Trout Creek.

Spokesman Jim Cavin says the race course this year has been changed to make it more viewer friendly. It now features a smaller, triangular three-kilometre circuit from Powell Beach. Racers head north towards the Summerland hill on Highway 97, then east towards Naramata, before returning to Powell Beach. Each race will be from 8-10 laps (depending on weather conditions) instead of three on last year’s larger course.

There will be three race categories starting with Class B (home-built) bathtubs at 11 a.m.; Class A (performance craft) at 12:30 p.m.; and a Super-Modified class (high-powered entries from the famous Nanaimo race) at 1:30 p.m. There will be no recreational “putt-putt” event this year.

Cavin says 22 entries have been confirmed to date, including an entry by physicians at Penticton Regional Hospital. More registrations are still being accepted. For details visit their website ogopogobathtubrace.com.

This is very much a family event, complete with a children’s bouncy castle, face-painting, bubble-making, sand sculpting and more. A pancake breakfast will be served in the park from 8-9:30 a.m. There is no beverage garden, but a larger concession menu includes slushies to take the heat off a hot August day. Members of the Summerland Art Club will also be on hand, showcasing their talents.

Everything wraps up by 3 p.m. with an awards banquet that night at the Summerland Yacht Club.

The Great Ogopogo Bathtub Race has been a huge success since its debut in 2015, having raised $44,000 for the SOS Medical Foundation’s campaign to provide the medical equipment for the PRH expansion.

Our thanks to everyone involved. Hope to see you at Powell Beach next month.

Buy the Sea fundraiser

Speaking of the Bathtub Race, our thanks to Mike and Samantha Stokes at Buy the Sea seafood in Penticton who hosted a fundraising barbeque lunch last Saturday to help promote the Bathtub Race.

Race volunteers served up dozens of delicious sockeye lunches to the public. This marked the second year Buy the Sea has held a Bathtub Barbecue. Many thanks to Samantha and Mike and all those who helped out.

Hit the links for a cause

A couple of charity golf tournaments in support of PRH are coming up next month.

The 21st annual Peach City Tees Up for Cancer ladies golf tournament will be held Aug. 18 to 19 at the Penticton Golf Club.

Tees Up has been an incredible supporter of the cancer/oncology department at PRH for more than two decades. Now they’re committed to raising $150,000 over five years for the medical foundation’s tower campaign. In addition to their golf tourney fundraising efforts, Tees Up is encouraging supporters to donate online at sosmedicalfoundation.com. Make sure to mention on the donation page that your contribution is linked to Tees Up.

Meanwhile, EllisDon Infrastructure, the province’s private sector partner in the $312.5-million PRH expansion project, hosts its own tourney at the Penticton Golf Club on Aug. 28. Again, all the proceeds will go towards our tower campaign. Good luck to all the golfers — stay out of the trees!

Construction moving along

Meanwhile, construction of the new David E. Kampe Tower continues to roll along at a rapid pace.

The exterior of the six-storey building should be complete by the end of this year, with work then focusing on interior work in 2018. To view the daily progress, just click on the live webcam accessible through the foundation’s website.

John Moorhouse is the development and communications officer for the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation. For information on donating, please call 250-492-9027 or visit our website sosmedicalfoundation.com.