Manny Osborne-Paradis was so impressed when he toured the new Invermere Summit Youth Centre Hub that he told his host Dan Lewis, the centre’s director, that he would have enjoyed spending time at the facility in his youth.
The Olympian from Invermere, whose talents on the slopes have been broadcast around the world, is the special guest at the Summit Youth Centre Hub’s third annual local celebrity event.
Mr. Lewis said he’s excited to welcome Mr. Osborne-Paradis, “the athlete skiing dude who came from Invermere… We want to tell the story of how he got to where he was and to honour him.”
In addition to highlighting Mr. Osborne-Paradis’ achievements, the event will also promote the youth centre and the opportunities it provides for young people to hang out and have fun in a safe environment.
“It’s going to be an evening where we can all enjoy Mexican food, hear Manny’s story and support the youth centre,” Mr. Lewis said.
The event will take place on Saturday, May 5th – Cinco De Mayo – and will have a Mexican theme, a Mexican dinner and a cash bar. In addition to meeting Mr. Osborne-Paradis and hearing his inspirational story, guests will be treated to a silent auction, a dinner, music, prizes and more.
Everyone is welcome to attend the all-ages event. Early-bird tickets are available for $40 until April 27th. Regularly-priced tickets are $45.
While the event itself will take place at the Columbia Valley Community Centre, Mr. Lewis invites everyone who is interested in attending the fundraiser to visit the Summit Youth Centre to purchase their tickets and to check out the incredible asset they are supporting through the fundraiser.
“Manny is great, he’s a great guy,” Mr. Lewis said. “He’s totally down to earth and very open and really wants to support the new centre and what we’re all about here. That was the coolest part: that he actually genuinely seemed like ‘wow, this is sweet.’”
The new Summit Youth Centre opened in November 1st, 2017 in the old library building. The centre has a virtual reality space where participants can put themselves in all sorts of imagined environments – from skiing the slopes to fishing outdoors to inhabiting the Star Wars world. The centre also provides youth with entertainment options including foosball, video games, movies, board games and more.
Tickets are available at the Summit Youth Centre Hub. For more information, call 250-342-3033.
