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Chilliwack Opportunity Society raising funds for van conversion

Van conversion will help clients remain part of the community
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The Chilliwack Opportunity Society is holding a plant sale on May 12 and a Mother’s Day Sale on May 13.

The Chilliwack Opportunity Society is looking for a little community help. The group is currently fundraising to pay for conversions on their new van that will turn it into a wheelchair vehicle.

It’s a conversion that will cost about $33,000, but when complete it means the society will no longer be dependent on HandyDart.

“We have 23 clients that would use the van on a regular basis, and right now we have three people that could use it as a wheelchair vehicle,” says Heidi Glaister, from the society. As their clients are aging, they predict the need for wheelchair access will continue to rise. And while HandyDart is a great service, it’s also very popular.

“Everyone wants the HandyDart,” she says.

Having their own wheels means their clients will be able to continue to be a part of the community. Their clients, who are adults with developmental disabilities, rely on transportation to get to events like bowling, parks, music events, and other field trips.

“There’s no more community inclusion if we can’t take them out and about in a wheelchair,” she says.

So, they’ve planned a long list of fundraisers to run through the next few months that will get them closer to finishing their van’s conversion. The first will be this weekend, with two separate events at the society’s clubhouse on Williams Road on Fairfield Island.

On Friday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. they’ll hold a plant and bake sale. Glaister says the whole community is welcome to come out, have a coffee and a visit, and pick up some bedding plants or baskets for their garden.

Then on Saturday, May 13, they are holding their Mother’s Day Market. They have 23 vendors coming and the market will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They’re also selling hot dogs and pop, and running a garage sale at the back of the building.

“It’s a good chance to get those last minute gifts for Mother’s Day,” she says. And as a bonus, there is no admission fee to get in.

Looking further on, their volunteer amateur band will be holding a fun concert evening at the Riding Club Hall on Spadina Ave. They’ll perform the entire Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club album, as a nod to the album’s 50th anniversary. That’s on June 3, and will include dancing, a cash bar, and more. Tickets will be $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

They have several other fundraisers coming up, including a Neufeld’s Farm order (June 9 pick-up date), a spaghetti dinner night (date TBA), and their annual Summer Fun Day on Aug. 17 at Gwynne Vaughan Park next to the society’s clubhouse.

For information on these events, phone the Chilliwack Opportunity Society at 604-795-9260.



Jessica Peters

About the Author: Jessica Peters

I began my career in 1999, covering communities across the Fraser Valley ever since.
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