One Sooke senior rose above the rest on July 7, but all who attended the Senior and Family Fair contributed to a great cause.
This year, Koshin Moonfist was named Sooke's Spectacular Senior after fundraising $8,336.95 for the Sooke Gathering Place.
"It feels wonderful in this community to be recognized for something that is for the community," said Moonfist.
The Sooke Spectacular Seniors contest is one of the Sooke Region Communities Health Network's (SRCHN) largest fundraisers for the Sooke Gathering Place, a proposed senior and community centre.
In the competition, five local seniors are nominated to be named Sooke's Spectacular Senior, in recognition for their hard work and notable community involvement. Once nominated, they begin fundraising on their own over the course of a month. Whoever raises the most money is named Sooke's Spectacular Senior.
This year, the nominees were Myrtle Acton, Anne Boquist, Barb Dias, Chuck Minton and Koshin Moonfist. In total the five seniors raised $25,967.20 for the Gathering Place, surpassing last year's total of around $19,000.
The five candidates were raising money up until the last minute before the announcement was made at the fair. They patrolled the fair looking for donations, some even in costume, such as Barb Dias, who dressed as the Queen of Tarts – an Alice in Wonderland-type look. But, instead of chopping off heads, she handed out tarts for donation or for free.
The event also featured bouncy castles, games, a barbecue and many booths set up by local community groups.
"The idea was to highlight the need for the gathering place and have a crowning for the event, but also to showcase all the other services in Sooke that are here for seniors," said Mary Dunn, vice-president of SRCHN, who was quite proud of the turnout of around 100 people who came as participants, volunteers, or with other community groups.
"It really showcases how much the community supports what's happening, this need and wanting to see this take place."
But of course, the people Dunn is most proud of are the seniors.
"This group of five finalists, they're amazing. They have worked so hard and have raised a bundle of money."
Moonfist took the top prize and was crowned by past winner and SRCHN board member Carol Pilanski. But, he knows it was never really about competition.
"The type of motivating energy that the others were putting forward was phenomenal. I'm so touched by all of them," said Moonfist.
"It's a type of competition where everybody wins, so it's really quite wonderful."
Despite the impressive feat of raising $8,000 in such a short amount of time, Moonfist was quite relaxed; he didn't seem to expect to have won. But those in the crowd loved him. "The best man won," said one attendee.
Moonfist was no doubt proud of his colleagues' work as well, and says there was no real secret to his success, other than the generosity of the community.
"I didn't even know some of the people who donated towards the end had anywhere close to the numbers that I heard they put in. I had no idea it was going that way, so it touches me."
