Kearney’s seventh annual Santa Claus Charity Ski Show was held Saturday in support of the Burk’s Falls Lions Club food drive.
Local waterskiers teamed up with members of the Canadian National Water Ski Show Team to perform a Christmas-themed ski show in front of the town dock on Perry Lake. Volunteers collected food and dollar donations from spectators and business sponsors.
Organizer Scott Waites said he was happy to announce that Kearney’s largest charity event had once again achieved its goal of surpassing the previous year’s fundraising total of $6500 by collecting almost $8000 this year. Supporters also donated 3500 pounds of food.
Kearney Lions Club President Blair Ballantyne says the Burks Falls food bank was sorely in need of replenishment.
“By this time of year, all the donations are very low at the food bank. I’ve never seen the cupboards so bare. So it was much needed at this particular time, and this will get us well through the Christmas season,” said Ballantyne.
The cash donations are expected to supply the flood bank through a “big chunk” of 2024, according to Ballantyne.
Waites started the event in 2015 as a one-man show skiing in a Santa costume. Every year since, he has grown the show bigger with more participants, spectators and donations. He says he is blown away by all the support he now receives.
“It’s become a really big family thing,” said Waites in an interview with Muskoka 411. His three children, Craig, Brent and Kara, along with their partners Gabby and Drake, are involved in the organization.
“When you’re having fun but also working with the community for the purpose of helping the people who are less fortunate, that really gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling,” said Waites.
To boost donations this year, Kara Waites had a creative idea.
“She suggested that if I set a certain amount of money in crowd cash donation – and if reached, I should jump in the lake,” said show announcer Kraig Miller.
“I’ve never had to jump in the lake before, which makes being the host the best job, in my opinion. But I set a target of $500, and in the first 30 minutes, we’d raised over $500. I think we raised over $950 for me to jump in the lake, so if the people of Kearney are able to put their money where their mouth is, I have to honour that – so I jumped in,” said Miller.
The event was sponsored by Rickwards Small Motors Inc, Scarlett Point Retreat, SWS Marine, Muskoka Auto Parts & Buyers Products, J-Craft Boats, NyDock, Fork on Main, Lake of Bays Marina, Muskoka Extreme, & Long and McQuade Gravenhurst.