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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">For Immediate Release
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Gallery initiative rewards local Healthcare Heroes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">June 15, 2021 – Kelowna, BC:</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> It was the questions, “what could we do to thank local healthcare
professionals?” and “how could we utilize art in doing so?” that prompted a recent gesture from the Kelowna Art Gallery.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">During the month of May, the Kelowna Art Gallery extended free admission to local healthcare staff and invited those who were interested, to take advantage of a complimentary
one-year membership.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“As you might imagine, we had a lot of people take us up on the offer,” says Ady Miller, Operations Manager at the Gallery. “We believe in the power of art to relieve stress
and were happy to provide an escape from a reality that, in the past few months, has been challenging to say the least.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Several hundred annual memberships were distributed during May and many took advantage of the complimentary admission offered throughout the month, including healthcare
professionals from Kelowna General Hospital, Kelowna Hospice House, and Cottonwoods Care Centre, amongst others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Gallery currently has five exhibition spaces at the downtown location and a satellite exhibition space at the Kelowna International Airport for guests to explore. They
continue to offer weekly programming, much of it accessible online and broadcast virtually, like their popular weekly Family Sundays art projects for children.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“It’s a small gesture, but we hope, a meaningful one that lets these heroes know how much we appreciate what they have done for our community,” says Ady Miller.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Kelowna Art Gallery is located at 1315 Water Street. For more information, visit
<a href="http://www.kelownaartgallery.com">www.kelownaartgallery.com</a> or call the Gallery at 250-762-2226.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">- 30 –<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Webpage:
<a href="https://kelownaartgallery.com">https://kelownaartgallery.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Instagram:
<span style="color:#262626;background:white"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kelownaartgallery/">https://www.instagram.com/kelownaartgallery</a></span><span style="background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">For media enquiries, please contact:<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Joshua Desnoyers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Marketing and Events Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Kelowna Art Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">1315 Water Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9R3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">250-762-2226 ext. 305<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:josh@kelownaartgallery.com"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">josh@kelownaartgallery.com</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="http://www.kelownaartgallery.com">www.kelownaartgallery.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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