Loud beats reverberate through the room as Shuswap Total Fitness Zumba class participants follow along to the instructor’s moves during a drop-in fundraiser for the Shannon Sharp Learning Circle.
Total Fitness gym owners Jim and Christine Nickles hosted the Friday, May 31 fundraiser for the project, to be constructed at Salmon Arm West Elementary School.
Members of Sharp’s family attended the event, with some participating in the Zumba class.
The Shannon Sharp Learning Circle is intended as a tribute to Sharp who died in January 2019. A teacher with School District #83 for more than 30 years, Sharp had a vision to enable outdoor learning at Salmon Arm West. That vision was shared by fellow teacher Sharon Langloiswho initiated the effort to build an outdoor covered learning space at the school.
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“When she came here, we were talking about making a little place behind the school where we could hang tarps and use bales of hay for benches, it was nothing to the scale of what this will be… but I think she would be thrilled,” Langlois told the Observer in a February interview.
Total Fitness’ fundraiser raised $520 for the project.
A Gofundme page for the Shanon Sharp Learning Circle has been in place since February. To date, it shows $4,510 has been raised for the project.
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