Last year it was 115 kilometres of walking the length of the lower Sunshine Coast. This year, the Kelsos raised the bar to new heights as they spent 100 hours in a scissor lift.
Sun, wind, rain – and boredom – couldn’t bring the fundraising mother and son, Megan and Cody, down from their temporary perch (although some strong wind on Sunday meant they couldn’t raise the lift up for a period of time). Safety harnesses secured the pair to the equipment as they split the time between Sechelt and Gibsons locations. They played games, read and sang to keep themselves occupied. More than 50 locals, from restaurants, businesses and individual volunteers, helped the Kelsos complete their mission. At night, they slept beneath a tarp to stay dry and warm.
Their aim over the Easter long weekend was to raise funds for two Sunshine Coast causes: the Gibsons Heritage Playhouse and the Nature Trust of BC. After four long days and three nights in the elements, the 11-year-old’s “Elevate for the Environment” challenge raised more than $7,000 of their $30,000 goal. They’re still accepting donations until May 18 at kelsosclimateaction.ca and will also apply for a grant.
“My feeling is any money they receive is more money than they had in the start,” Megan said on April 19, after they were back on firm ground and inside. “I would love to reach our goal, and that may still be attainable.”
In one of their video updates from the lift, Cody thanked everyone who helped and said, “It’s been an amazing journey and I will never forget this.”
