Recreation and Wellness Centre
Give a gift to transform lives
Double your donation
All donations matched up to $500,000
Many people are surprised to learn that Okanagan College's Kelowna campus does not have a gym or recreational facility today. There is no place for intramurals, pick-up games or tournaments, and no home side venue for the OC Coyotes’ basketball and baseball teams to train.
When the College community comes together to celebrate convocation – we don’t have a large indoor central hub or space.
This needs to change – and that’s why we’re prioritizing a new Recreation and Wellness Centre.
Thanks to Honorary Chairs Cliff and Lois Serwa, every dollar donated to the Thrive Here campaign for a Recreation and Wellness Centre will be matched up to $500,000!
With a donation match your gift will double in impact, making an incredible difference for Okanagan College students and our community both now and into the future.
Match my gift!
Give a gift of any size using your credit card and instantly receive your charitable donation receipt from CanadaHelps. Click on the donate button below.
You can make a donation by phone at 250-862-5630.
Cheques can be mailed to:
Okanagan College Foundation:
1000 KLO Road
Kelowna, B.C.
V1Y 4X8
Please indicate your support of the Thrive Here campaign in the Subject/Memo line.
Shares and mutual funds are also eligible for tax credits. Click the button below to learn how to transfer shares.
Give to transform the lives of students and the community
Generous donors have already stepped up to the plate to support the $14-million Recreation and Wellness Centre Thrive Here campaign, through generous leadership-level gifts. Through their incredible giving, the OC Foundation has already built a fund of $9 million.
Now, we need to take this effort across the finish line and as a community, raise the remaining $5 million together.
Cliff and Lois Serwa: Honorary Chairs
When approached to support the campaign to build a much-needed Recreation and Wellness Centre at OC, not only did Cliff and Lois step forward and contribute financially, they agreed to become honorary chairs for the campaign.
We believe firmly that access to recreational sports and fitness on campus will enhance the quality of life for the students at OC, and ultimately the students are the future of our community.”
Folk family give $5M transformational gift
It takes vision and trust to be the first to commit to a new project. A belief in the organization behind it and complete conviction in the impact it will have.
It is this vision and faith that we are indebted to. It inspired the Folk family’s transformational gift. A gift inspired by an unwavering certainty that sports and recreation have the power to transform lives. A gift that will result in Okanagan College’s Recreation and Wellness Centre on the Kelowna campus.
Wellness thrives here
The impact of having a centralized facility cannot be overstated. It will be the “living room” of the campus where we can all gather; to join in cheering on our OC Coyotes teams, practicing mindfulness or celebrating the success of our graduating students.
- Intramural sports
- OC Coyote competitive sports
- Community gathering space
- Cultural celebrations
- Convocation setting
- Camp OC recreation facility
- Meditation and yoga
- Fitness Suite
- Running Track
AJ Gill
As a parent who drove my son for the better part of three years to Penticton for his basketball games, I often wished that there had been a gymnasium or a recreation centre on the Kelowna campus. A facility such as this would have been a real game-changer for my son and his team."
AJ Gill
Parent, Partner at MNP
Rebekah Dingwall
It is key to have connections when you come to college. The Recreation and Wellness Centre is going to create an environment where students can go and meet people and connect.”
Rebekah Dingwall,
4th year Business Student
Steve Thomson
I look back fondly at my time in post-secondary education, and participating in athletics was a critical part of my experience. Mental health, intramural sports, fitness, and recreation are a key part of student success, and building a proper facility will fill a current gap in the student experience."
Steve Thomson
Former MLA for Kelowna-Mission
James Coble
Wellness is a priority at the College as we know that student wellbeing is directly linked to academic success. The Centre will bring a sense of belonging outside the classroom and help to remove barriers, lower anxiety and stress, and ultimately contribute to student success."
James Coble
Dean of Students
Helena Jordo
With the addition of the Recreation and Wellness Centre, Camp OC will be able to expand its programing and include some of the sports camps that we have not been able to do before, in a safe and healthy environment, no matter what our summer conditions are like."
Helena Jordo
Program administrator, Youth Programming
Team OC Foundation
Contact us to transform lives and communities
From left to right: Stephen Atherton; Samantha Blandon; Helen Jackman; Sasha Carter and Pam Prentice
Phone: 250-862-5630
Email: foundation@okanagan.bc.ca
