Whistler SAR beneficiary of lawsuit

Whistler Search and Rescue has received a boost to its annual budget this year, thanks to a large donation from a recent lawsuit settlement.
The organization received a total of $54,000 after Maxwell Buhler, president of Whistler Snowboard Tours, chose the group as the recipient of money from a class action suit against Whistler Cable Television Ltd.
This is the first time in Canadian history that a plaintiff was able to select who the recipient of a settlement surplus would be.
The money comes from a lawsuit Buhler filed against Whistler Cable two years ago. Buhler alleged the company was overcharging clients. A settlement was reached between the two groups in February, and $70,000 was put aside to reimburse those who were part of the suit. The deadline to join the suit was in August. Notices were posted in local papers for three weeks.
Part of the agreement was that any money left over from the fund would go to SAR. Only a few people applied for a reimbursement, leaving $54,000 for the local non-profit.