Bring Two Cans or Boxes of Food for Free Entry to SHARC This Weekend

The Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center is hosting a soft opening this weekend, May 18-19, to prepare for the second year of operations. The public is invited to enjoy SHARC’s indoor and outdoor pools, water slides, lazy river, year-round tubing hill, playground and outdoor basketball court, in exchange for two (2) cans or boxes of non-perishable food per person, per day.

The outdoor waterslides, pools and tubing hill will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. The indoor pool will be open until 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Swimmers need to bring their own towels and locks for the day use lockers. Outside food and beverage are not permitted in SHARC but guests can purchase food at Riptide Café or bring a picnic lunch to dine at the park or amphitheater.

The canned food will be donated to Holy Trinity Outreach Care & Share, a food bank that assists economically distressed south Deschutes County families on a monthly basis. Last year’s one-day canned food drive at SHARC generated five truckloads of food that supplied the food bank for more than three months. This year SHARC managers have decided to stage a two-day canned food drive in an effort to boost donations.

“We collect food all month long but the two days at SHARC really make a difference. It helps us tremendously,” said Madeline Bednarek, president of Holy Trinity Outreach Care & Share. “Right now we don’t have many items and we have to buy things. When we run dry it really helps.”

Visitors to SHARC this weekend can also support the “12 Months of Giving” campaign by bringing an additional 5 non-perishable food items to be entered into a drawing to win 10 SHARC passes, $250 value. SHARC stages monthly collection and donation drives for local charities.

Information: www.sunriverSHARC.com or 541-585-5000