Boogie a focal point for Kamloops

Apr 30, 2017 | 5:00 AM

KAMLOOPS — Today marks the 20th Annual Boogie the Bridge event in Kamloops. CFJC-TV has been the proud title sponsor for the past several years, since the Kamloops Daily News folded, and gave up the title sponsorship of the event. We have been involved in Boogie since Day One, and we’ve seen it grow into the major event in our city. It’s not only a run, it’s become a chance to raise focus and awareness for various community charities, and to galvanize Kamloopsians into action for a great cause.

Every community needs a focus. Kelowna had its Regatta, although it has little right now. Vernon has its Winter Carnival, Penticton had its Peach Festival, again something which has been on the wane. The Iron Man Triathlon is gone from the Okanagan city. These types of events give a community something to get behind, a rallying point if you will. That’s what Boogie has become here. Kami-Overlanders Days, Spoolmak Days, these events were big in our past, but they have been replaced. We have made Canada Day celebrations into a big event, and Ribfest is rapidly becoming a major player. But Boogie is the big, dominant event in our City, and when you can make this event into what it has become, and make it bigger every year, it is truly an amazing accomplishment.

Jo Berry, of course, has been the major force in making this happen. Her enthusiasm, vision and hard work has resulted in a group of people working with her who seem to be tireless. Most events require a new influx at the top to keep things going. People burn out. Jo Berry seems to be burn-proof. She is a true inspiration, and on this day, deserves all the credit we can give her for putting this event into place as the leading event in our city every year. She doesn’t do it alone, and she would be the first to tell you that. But she attracts people who have that same vision and enthusiasm, and when you have that, you truly have something to be proud of.

Whether you run, walk or participate as a volunteer, you can’t help but be part of the excitement. Even as a non-participant, I’m caught up with what this event does for Kamloops, and having been here for 47 years in Kamloops, I have not seen anything that has created this much excitement for this length of time. We have had many big events in my time here, but nothing that has consistently provided the level of excitement that Boogie has. We should be proud that we have people here in the Tournament Capital to provide a dimension to City life that most other communities would die to be able to match.