The Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area is gearing up for its community appreciation pancake breakfast on July 11 between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. and it promises to be an event with something for the whole family.
“We are always excited to put on this event because it’s our way of giving back to the community that does so much to support us,” said Executive Director Jill Bilodeau.
This is the seventh year for the event, which usually attracts around 700 people and will feature family-friendly activities. Included are colouring, airbrush tattoos and more.
The headline event will be a donation-based dunk tank. Participants will have the opportunity to dunk prominent figures in the community in exchange for a contribution to the organization. All dunk tank participants will be announced on the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area's Facebook page.
On deck to take the plunge so far are Coun. Patrick Wilson and Cochrane Eagle Editor Chris Puglia.
"I’m supporting the Girls and Boys dunk tank as the members work very hard in the community and are an essential service to Cochrane," said Wilson.
In order to help support the fundraiser, Puglia and Wilson have agreed to a fundraising challenge. Between the two dunkees, the person who raised the most money at the tank will get to pie the loser for all to see on the Cochrane Eagle's social media platforms.
Puglia will be in the wet seat at 10 a.m. and Wilson will follow at 11 a.m. Both encourage Cochranites to come down and soak their favourite (or least favourite) person.
Wilson is confident in his bid to best the Eagle editor but is prepared should he find himself on the drier end of the competition.
"Should I lose this competition to dear editor, I can only hope his pie throwing arm is not as strong as his pen," he said, adding he might have an advantage given the current political climate. "I hear rumours of a large and growing contingent of Cochrane residents on Facebook, sandwiched as we are between election cycles, that would love the opportunity to publicly dunk a politician of any stripe and I think this could be cathartic for them."
Whatever happens, Puglia added the real winners will be the public and the Boys and Girls Club.
There will also be prize draws and raffles at the event including one for two round-trip tickets for anywhere WestJet flies. Another draw will encourage attendees to bring their own plates and utensils. Going green will enter participants into a draw for a ‘"family fun" gift basket.
