OCNews

Local businessman and philanthropist Tom Budd is giving residents an opportunity to win free tuition toward a health care career at Okanagan College.

Budd, along with local radio stations Virgin Radio and Sun FM, are offering the contest called Wishin for Tuition across the Valley until April 12.

Residents can win up to $5,000 toward their tuition to one of any 10 Health Sciences programs at Okanagan College. The programs offered range from nursing to Early Childhood Education and Pharmacy Technician.

The prize money is coming from a new fund Budd set up to honour his two sons, Payton and Dillon, who both lost their lives to suicide.

“The Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund’s primary focus is mental health,” explains Budd. “But our physical health is directly linked to our mental health, and so we have to take care of both.

“I’m proud to be able to help someone go to school and pursue a meaningful career caring for others.”

The tuition contest was planned before the COVID-19 pandemic as part of Our Students, Your Health, the fundraising campaign behind the College’s new Health Sciences Centre, which is slated to open in September on the Kelowna campus. Okanagan College Foundation Executive Director Helen Jackman says COVID-19 reinforces just how essential well trained health care professionals are.

“Tom’s gift is timely. Now more than ever we need quality health care professionals to care for our community, and the new Centre will provide a state-of-the-art regional training hub for those frontline health care workers,” says Jackman.

“We’re grateful that this contest will help not only a student pursue their dream but that student will go on to help countless community members who will be impacted by their care.”

To learn more about the contest and rules, visit any of these stations, Virgin Radio Kelowna, Sun FM Vernon and Sun FM Penticton.