Nearly three years ago, Danielle Pritchett’s son, Cailen Vilness, was one of five men killed in a workplace accident in downtown Kelowna. The accident involved a crane being dismantled and resulted in the deaths of Jared Zook, Brad Zawislak, Patrick Stemmer, and Eric Stemmer as well. A makeshift memorial was set up at the construction site following the tragic event, but it was ultimately taken down, leaving the families without a place to mourn and remember their loved ones. The city has since donated a piece of land for a permanent memorial to be built in honor of the men who lost their lives that day.
In order to complete the work on the memorial, more funds need to be raised. Pritchett is leading a fundraising effort to gather the necessary resources, with the help of her cousin, Canadian Country music star Aaron Pritchett. Aaron Pritchett will be performing at a fundraising event on May 19 to raise money for the project. The event will take place at Revelry Food and Music Hub, which has offered to host the event free of charge. The goal is to bring positive energy to the community and provide a place for families and community members to remember and honor the men who died in the workplace accident.
The fundraising event on May 19 will feature performances by Aaron Pritchett and Jason Parkes’s band. Tickets are currently being sold for the event in hopes of raising thousands of dollars for the memorial. The Rise Memorial will be built at Knowles Heritage Park to commemorate the lives lost in the crane collapse. The funds raised will cover the cost of construction and maintenance of the memorial site. A silent auction will also be held, offering valuable prizes including a private backyard BBQ with Aaron Pritchett. The generosity of those involved in organizing the event has been greatly appreciated by Danielle Pritchett and the families of the victims.
The RCMP recommended that British Columbia’s Prosecution Service pursue a criminal negligence charge in relation to the crane collapse, but no specific individuals have been identified for charges yet. WorkSafeBC completed its investigation but has not made its findings public. The community continues to mourn the loss of the five men and is committed to honoring their memory with the construction of the memorial. The event on May 19 aims to raise awareness and funds for the project, bringing together community members to support the families of the victims and ensure that their loved ones are never forgotten.
