Organizers of the Seafood Extravaganza (L-R: Roger Paquette, Sarah Bramley, Lindsay Theobald, Cody Dreger) celebrate nearly $130,000 being raised for local groups. (submitted photo)

By Alex Rawnsley

legacy lives on

Nearly $130,000 raised for local non-profits through seafood extravaganza

Nov 14, 2022 | 4:54 PM

NANAIMO — Ten years strong and still raising tens of thousands of dollars for local charities and community organizations.

The 10th annual Garrett Paquette Foundation Seafood Extravaganza event, held Saturday, Nov. 12, helped raise $129,775 in funds for 10 local community groups.

Nanaimo Community Hospice was one of the recipients, receiving just over $10,000 with executive director Paige Karczynski telling NanaimoNewsNOW the money will help in their ongoing programming and supports.

“This makes a huge difference for us, as many people may know we are only about 25 per cent funded, so the rest of it is for us to get donations…this is huge for our operation, increasing our services.”

Hospice has run compassionate care programming in Nanaimo for more than 40 years to those dealing directly with end of life situations, as well as their family and friends.

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Karczynski said everything they offer is seeing an increase in demand, from counselling to group sessions and grief support.

“Part of it is through the holidays but also just what’s going on in our society and community with homelessness, violence, drug misuse, there is a lot of grief happening.”

Other groups receiving cash include Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island, Island Crisis Care Society, Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation, Nanaimo Child Development Centre, Nanaimo Family Life Association, Nanaimo Foodshare Society, Popcorn Revolution and the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association.

The Garrett Paquette Fund for Families in Need began after the passing of Paquette in 2011 at the age of 30.

Raising money through the fund initially started as a campaign around Movember, however it has since evolved to raise over $850,000 for regional community groups.

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