Kelowna locals raise whopping sum for children in B.C. hospitals

On Friday night Kelowna locals poured into the Laurel Packing House for the third installment of the Bands, BBQ, Beers and Balding fundraising event.

The event raises funds and awareness for children in the BC Children's Hospital and Kelowna General Hospital who are battling cancer. Throughout the years, this event has become a staple fundraiser.

Growing significantly from last year, this year's event was sold out and moved to a larger venue in order to accommodate all the attendees.

As the name suggest, the event is a one-stop shop for all things an adult is looking to do on a Friday night. With live music, delicious Okanagan-catered BBQ, and wicked prizes like Metallica tickets up for bids, you can’t go wrong having this as your fundraiser of choice.

The balding portion of the event comes a bit later in the evening. The main organizer, Bernie Ryan and three other willing participants get their heads shaved every year to show their support. This year's female participant, Sacha Visser, also donated her long locks to Wigs For Kids.

Last year the event raised over $25,000 dollars and this year's total came to over $37,00, almost a 50 per cent increase. The money will be split equally and two big cheques will be delivered to each hospital.

The community involvement for this event is monumental as everything from food and drinks to the prizes and time invested by volunteers was donated. As well, each attendee paid for a ticket, ensuring both establishments got every last cent.