Former student donates $25,000 to campaign for Okanagan College recreation and wellness center – Kelowna News

Photo: Okanagan College

Kelly Loudon with his children Leo and Cru.

The owner of a local construction company is helping build the foundation of a new recreation and wellness center at Okanagan College in Kelowna.

Bachelor of Business Administration Honors graduate Kelly Loudon, owner of Loudon Construction and Development, donates $25,000 to the Thrive here campaign for a recreation and wellness center at OC’s Kelowna campus.

Sports are a passion for Loudoun, who founded OC’s first hockey team and played and managed the Coyotes for four seasons. He also established an annual prize and endowment fund.

The father of two does it again with his gift that recognizes the power of sport.

“I notice that many lessons from sports apply to my company. The importance of showing up, trying to be a better version of myself every day and learning to deal with every challenge,” Loudoun said.

He believes the facility will also create a sense of belonging among students by giving them the opportunity to connect beyond the academic classroom.

“Sports is a good way to build relationships and networks. My teammates were my best friends, I still have a lot of those connections,” he adds.

Sasha Carter, development manager for the Okanagan College Foundation, thanked Loudon for his gift.

“Kelly knows that the added value of the recreation and wellness center is much more than just a sports field and a training facility. It is a space that will develop skills of resilience, teamwork and hard work,” she said.

To date, the Okanagan College Foundation has raised a fund of more than $10 million toward the $14 million Thrive Here campaign goal.