Bowling for Charity

Sherwood Park is blessed with a remarkable network of non-profits. On Sunday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. I’m hosting the third annual Bowling for Charity event at Sherwood Bowl, to support local non-profit organizations, including some of the ones mentioned below. For more information, go to kylekasawski.ca

So many organizations are powered by volunteers and donors who step up when needs arise. From youth programs to disability services, from food security to health care, these groups embody compassion, community and the resilience of Sherwood Park. Service organizations also build our connections with each other. For all they do for Sherwood Park, they have my deepest gratitude.

I’d like to highlight just a few of them. First up, the Strathcona Food Bank. In 2024, it distributed nearly 9,000 hampers. That’s a 200 per cent increase from just a few years prior. Across Alberta, food bank visits have increased in the past few years. Families who never imagined needing help now depend on donated groceries to get through the month. It seems to me, in Alberta, non-profits are carrying more weight than they should be asked to bear.

It’s the same story with health care in Sherwood Park. The Strathcona Community Hospital Foundation does amazing work and raises thousands every year for equipment, staff training, and patient programs. These items could arguably be covered by provincial health budgets. We have the resources in Alberta. Hospital foundations do incredible work, but their necessity signals a troubling reality: our hospitals are underfunded, and local residents are often asked to fill the gap.

Volunteer Strathcona is a hub that connects hundreds of residents to more than 100 local organizations. They organize everything from snow shoveling for seniors to income tax clinics for low-income families. Their work makes waves in our community.

Strathcona County Boys and Girls Club (BGC) supports hundreds of local Sherwood Park kids every year. They provide after-school programs, summer camps, and even homework help for families who are trying their best to keep up with the cost of living in Alberta. These programs are lifelines for our neighbours, for hard-working parents and their kids. They fill spaces where public systems fall short.

Agencies like the Robin Hood Association and Winder Inclusive Services (WICS) provide essential support for people with disabilities. They offer therapy, day programs, employment assistance, and community inclusion. These services are vital, and disability support has constantly become a target for the UCP government cutbacks.

Sherwood Park Elks, Rotary Club, Kin Club, Knights of Columbus, ACT, JustServe and countless other service organizations rally volunteers and dollars to meet our community’s needs. They connect us to each other and remind us what generosity looks like. If you are making New Year’s resolutions, consider joining one of these amazing Sherwood Park organizations in service to your community.

Sherwood Park non-profits deserve support. If you can donate, volunteer, or advocate, please do. Every hour and dollar makes a difference. Meanwhile, I will amplify the message that governments at every level must recommit to their responsibilities: funding health care adequately, ensuring food security, supporting families, and investing in disability supports.

Let’s work toward a future where non-profits enhance, not be required to substitute, the social safety nets Albertans need.