Project Watershed looks to honour a warrior painter through a donation challenge in the Comox Valley.
Called the Ken Kirkby challenge, it aims to raise $80,000 in Kirkby’s name to support the Kus-Kus-Sum project, a project that’s almost finished.
The Comox Valley Project Watershed Society says it was named after Kirkby, who was known for his paintings, donations to social and environmental improvement, and his 31-year campaign raising awareness of Northern Indigenous Rights.
They say the challenge comes after Kirkby donated $100,000 in original paintings to fund the Kus-Kus-Sum project in June last year. He passed away later that month, having donated $300,000 to the project since discovering it in 2018.
Manager of Fundraising, Education, and Outreach for the society Caila Holbrook says their restoration work touched Kirkby supported for much of his life.
“It was his hope that his generosity would spark an outpouring of donations to Project Watershed,” said Holbrook.
The society adds once the goal has been reached, they will plant a Sitka Spruce grove in his name on the Kus-Kus-Sum site and make a salmon sign alongside it, with hopes many participate in this challenge to remember Ken.
For where to donate, click here.
