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Beachfest doles out some cash to Parksville Qualicum Beach groups

These 16 groups helped the summer event reach record attendance numbers

Beachfest works because of the volunteers, according to society president Cheryl Dill, who was speaking at a ceremony to hand out $46,750 to the 16 organizations that helped run this year's event.

The Quality Foods Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition welcomed more than 93,000 people through the gates this summer and volunteers with the region's eager community groups welcomed each and every one of them.

"It's an impressive list of organizations," said Mayor Chris Burger, who said he sometimes has a funny problem when he's away from the area in that everyone wants to talk about the sand sculpting. He said it's a great problem that everyone is aware of Parksville.

The groups take turns helping at the gate and share in the entry donations, which then gets multiplied out into the community with the work those groups do, Dill said.

Representatives of the groups received cheques and briefly explained what they will do with the money, covering everything from hospice to Community Park work, school bursaries, therapeutic riding, hospital donations and many others.

"We are proud to have set new records this year," said event manager Trish Smith who said they raised more money than ever this year and The Beach Festival Society has now donated close to $350,000 over the past thirteen years to various organizations and community projects.

2013 Beachfest community groups:

• Errington Therapeutic Riding Assn

• Fraternal Order of Eagles

• Knights of Columbus, Ascension Council 7991

• Ladies Auxiliary Royal Canadian Legion

#211 Bowser

• Lions Club of Parksville

• Oceanside Hospice Society

• Parksville Curling Club

• Parksville Lioness Club

• Parksville Qualicum Elks #589

• Parksville Qualicum Shrine Club #34

• Preceptor Delta Zeta

• Rotary Club of Parksville (Noon hour)

• Rotary Club of Parksville AM

• Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach Sunrise

• Royal Canadian Legion Branch 49 Ladies

Auxiliary

• Xi Delta Pi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi