Kelowna Car Dealership Donates $50,000 to Okanagan College

Thanks to a local auto dealership, Okanagan College is $50,000 closer to their $7 million fundraising goal to build a new trades complex.

Kelowna Toyota has generously donated the $50,000 to the Bright Horizons Building for Skills Campaign, which will support the construction of a classroom in the new three-storey Trades Training Complex.

Dennis Gabelhouse, Chair of the Bright Horizons Campaign; Jack Kofoed, Dealer Principal of Kelowna Toyota; Kathy Butler, Executive Director of the Okanagan College. (Photo Credit: photo credit.)

“As the technology in our vehicles advances at an ever-increasing pace, it is vital for automotive tradespeople to have a solid foundation of formal training,” said Jack Kofoed, Dealer Principal at Kelowna Toyota. “We have had the privilege of hiring numerous Red Seal graduates from the College over the years and have seen first-hand the quality of the training they receive. The new complex is going to be a great resource for our region and we are proud to support it.”

“It is very encouraging for our students, and for everyone at the College, when industry steps forward in a bold way like this to recognize their potential and support their futures,” said Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton. “We are very grateful to Kelowna Toyota as one of the local industry leaders who have stepped forward as donors and champions in the community for this project.”

Aside from their large donation, Kelowna Toyota has also provided Okanagan College with two vehicles. The donated vehicles provide valuable hands-on training opportunities for students, and once the students are finished using the vehicles, they will be auctioned off by the Okanagan College Foundation with proceeds going towards student support.

The new Trades Training Complex is expected to accommodate more than 2,400 students and is slated to open up by spring time, 2016.

The $7 million fundraising campaign for the 10,000 square metre complex renovation and expansion was launched in October 2014. The College is aiming to raise $5 million for capital construction costs and $2 million for program and student support. The $7 million will add to the $28 million in provincial funding.