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Plenty of activity at Action Festival

Summerland hosts one of the most amazing family events in the Okanagan and even the province during Action Festival.
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Radio personality Dennis Dumas Walker

As a follow up to Brenda Ingram’s article in last week’s paper it is now showtime. Action Festival is one day away as Summerland hosts one of the most amazing family events in the Okanagan and even the province. Estimates for Action Festival are that this community doubles in size during the first weekend of June each year. As we know these types of events don’t just happen – there are so many people behind the scenes and an incredible amount of sponsors that make for a magical weekend. We were just talking the other day about all the bands and local talent that have performed in the bandshell. People and groups such as the Powder Blues Band, Doug and the Slugs, Kinship, Prism, Stonebolt, Jerry Doucette and Worms Hate Rain.

This week’s Review shows a picture of me, Dennis Dumas Walker and our own John Arendt in a remake of a picture for Action Festival taken in 1988 that included Kim Chadwick, John Brent, Richard Anderson and Summerland’s Director of Parks and Recreation at that time, Doug Thring.

How crazy is the Action Festival Slo-Pitch tournament run by Al and Diane Mann? They are over capacity with 74 teams registered for the tournament with over 50 being out of town teams and believe it or not they have a waiting list of almost 20 teams.

With our runs and races, my favourite part of each is the people from children in their strollers to those well into retirement. In fact two of my favourites are Dave and Audrey McIntosh who have volunteered with us for as long as I can remember and this year are 93 and 90 respectively. Who can forget Willis Greenaway who passed away a few years ago but ran the Giant’s Head Run or competed in the Man of Steel Triathlon religiously every year.

Then we have our super volunteers who come back year after year like Kathi Penny, Lloyd Miskiman, Bev and Clint Skinner, the Bergstrom family, Eric and Cathy Janzen who make our races safe and fun.

This community owes a lot to these people that volunteer for the Action Festival Committee or the runs and races so when you see these people on the streets thank them for being a big part of why we live in the greatest community in the world.

Remember as you read this, you still have time to register for the Giant’s Head Run or Man of Steel Triathlon.

Dale MacDonald has been Summerland’s Director of Parks and Recreation for the last 22 years and in his sporting past has won provincial championships in four different sports.