You Rock!

Kootenay residents, your incredible support made our Polar Bear Swim a resounding success! A thousand people gathered on the beach, sharing smiles and laughter across generations. Thanks to your generosity, we’ve raised $7,000 so far, with the fundraising page open until January 31st. A big shout-out to volunteers, Search and Rescue, EMS teams, and community sponsors for making this event unforgettable. Kudos to the Kootenay spirit!

Thank you to our generous sponsors: Ellison’s Market, Terratherma, Kootenay Woodstoves, Gilbert Parts Depot, Kootenay Co-op, Lillie & Cohoe, Nelson Olive Oil Cie and Midas in Nelson!

Your support help the work of two local non-profit organization, Kootenay Co-op Radio and Friends of Kootenay Lake.

20 years ago, Kootenay Co-op Radio was a sparkle in the eyes of locals who felt the Kootenays needed a community radio station that expresses the unique spirit of the area

KCR worked with the community to build the radio station into the member-owned, member-operated destination for listeners who want the authentic West Kootenay experience.

We operate as a non-profit society with a small team of staff and a large dedicated volunteer base.

Each week, our passionate team of volunteer hosts serve up almost 100 hours of original music and talk broadcasts, exploring the wide spectrum of tastes, issues and opinions that shape the unique spirit of our region.

Kootenay Co-op Radio broadcasts from 4 mains location in the region and online streaming.

Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society (FoKLSS) is your local environmental non-profit that works to improve the health and stewardship of Kootenay Lake through monitoring, habitat restoration, capacity building, and empowerment of local communities, First Nations, and stakeholders.

Kootenay Lake and its surrounding watershed supports an abundance of fish and wildlife species. It benefits your local community through recreation and tourism and provides you with various ecosystem services including clean drinking water, protection from flooding, carbon sequestration, and more.

Kootenay Lake’s high demand from social and economic interests has changed the lake in many ways. Shoreline development, pressure from recreation, hydro-electric development, and climate change have degraded the water quality, habitats, and populations of species.

Since 2012, our community of supporters, members, and volunteers have come together to help the lake they love. Thanks to their support, we provide critical data of change in species populations and water quality each year and educate local communities on the importance of good lake stewardship. We depend on people like you. We need your support to keep this work moving forward. Every dollar you raise for this event matters and helps establish a cleaner and healthier lake for everyone.

To learn more about FoKLSS and ways to get involved visit https://www.friendsofkootenaylake.ca/ or contact Gwen at gwen@friendsofkootenaylake.ca