A $15,000 donation from the Shuswap Community Foundation has made a big difference for the BC Wildlife Park as it fundraises for a new X-Ray machine.

The funding was announced during New Country 103.1’s birthday bash concert at the park this month, and General Manager Glenn Grant says it leaves them needing to raise about $14,000 to meet their goal.

He says the contribution was a nice, unexpected surprise.

“A woman that had passed away had left a lot of funds in an endowment to care for animals in the area,” he said. “So it was a good fit that that money goes towards caring for the wildlife here.”

“We are extremely grateful for the donation and one more like that, and we are done. Or a couple of smaller ones and we’ll be on our way.”

Prior to that donation, Grant says they had raised about $5,000 since the campaign launched this year. The concert, he noted, raised about $6,000 after expenses.

“We’ll do a few other events in the next few months to try and generate a little bit more revenue,” Grant said.

He is confident the new X-ray machine will be at the Wildlife Park by this Christmas.