Last week, 20 contestants from all over the Lakeland came together to compete in the second annual Lakeland Survivor, with organizers saying the event was “more successful than we could have ever imagined.”
This year saw the organizing committee, led by Sue Turner and Rob Bush, raise over $55,000, which will be donated entirely to the Lakeland Special Olympics.
“I don't really have words to explain how pleased I am with this year's competition and this year's final total,” Turner said. “It just blows me away to see how generous this community is with its donations, they surpassed all expectations.”
“The money we've raised will help the charity immensely. If I'm to believe what I've been told, it's more than double what their operating funds usually are for the year, so they're beside themselves and incredibly thankful to the public for their generous support.”
Beginning with 20 contestants on Tuesday evening, committee members put the castaways, split into two teams of ten, through a variety of rigorous, brain-wracking challenges before the lone Survivor was unveiled Saturday afternoon. This year's champion was captain of Team Kool, Kool FM morning host Carlin Barton, who went home with a grand prize of $5,000.
The concept of Lakeland Survivor emanated from a staff party idea at the Wetlander Bar and Grill, before staff decided to branch out into the community. This year's competition saw five members of last year's group return for a second stint in ‘the wild', with camp based at Little Leap Park.
Turner said although the competition is a tough and grueling one, she was confident every castaway enjoyed the time they spent in camp.
“We try to make this competition as fun as possible, but we have to remember what Survivor is all about, so it has to be a little challenging – we can't make it too easy for the castaways,” Turner said. “On the first night we gave them basic materials which they used to construct their own shelters, and then proceeded to have them compete in different competitions to try and win different rewards, such as food, toothbrushes and other home comforts.”
After raising $35,000 for the Bonnyville Boys and Girls Club last year, Turner said she was determined to improve on that total this time out, setting an initial goal of $50,000.
“We had such a wonderful inaugural competition last year, with an incredible response from the community, sponsors and castaways, so we were always hoping this year would be that little bit bigger and that little bit better – in the end it turns out it was,” Turner said.
A large chunk of the $55,000 raised this year came from the contestants themselves, as they were charged with raising a minimum of $1,000 just to be able to take part in the event. Running alongside the competition was a silent auction that included such items as a 12-person box for an Edmonton Oilers event, a signed Bon Jovi album and several pieces of signed hockey memorabilia.
Anne Landry, a teacher at Conseil Scolaire Centre-Est in Cold Lake, was a member of Team Wolf and said she thoroughly enjoyed the time she spent in the competition.
“When I first heard about this event taking place, I knew straight away it was something I wanted to be involved in,” Landry said. “I do a lot of fundraisers and help a lot of committees, so I felt this was a great opportunity to help all while having some fun and creating new memories and experiences.”
Landry raised just over $2,300 prior to taking part in the event, stating she was really happy to have a hand in helping this year's charity of choice.
The man responsible for the largest donation total prior to starting was Richard Gratton, owner of G3 Construction in Bonnyville, who put $6,100 into the pot, cementing his place as one of this year's castaways.
“I'm a real sucker for stuff like this. I enjoy taking part as it's for a great cause – it really didn't take a whole lot of persuading. Gratton said. “It was a great experience for me, the competitions were fun and organizers kept the mood pretty light and pleasant. This was my holiday for the summer, so I'm happy to get involved and do my bit for (the community).”