Sault Ste. Marie's SOYA ramping up fundraising
A group in Sault Ste. Marie that's working to address the ongoing opioid crisis is getting its fundraising activities back into full-swing. Saving Our Young Adults - or SOYA - had to halt its usual fundraising initiatives when COVID-19 hit.
SOYA is partnering with Youth Homes on a yard sale fundraiser, which is to be held Saturday and Sunday. The first day was going well - until it started raining.
"Mother Nature didn't cooperate," says SOYA founder Connie Raynor-Elliott. "We'll be back tomorrow from 8:00 to 2:00 on Sunday for the SOYA Youth Homes event."
The founder of Youth Homes, which helps at risk youth find a place to live and learn life skills, says they were planning a basement sale fundraiser just before the pandemic hit.
So since we opened up we decided to get things out of that basement and create a yard sale," says Denis Beaulieu. "So I partnered with SOYA so that we could join together and raise funds for both our initiatives."
Despite the wet weather on opening day, Raynor-Elliott says the yard sale is off to a good start.
"Our community stepped up, we worked at the depot here for nine hours just sorting out stuff," she says. "More donations kept coming in. This morning everybody came in, set up. Lots of people were coming in."
Raynor-Elliott points out that SOYA is a not-for-profit that depends on fundraisers, such as this weekend's yard sale, and she's hoping people will come out for day-two - and that the weather will be more accommodating.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.