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YANA is generously upheld by the spirit and kindness of the Comox Valley. Check out what is going on and learn about amazing supportive efforts taking place within our community. We respect the privacy of our individual donors, as such this is a sampling of donations where public acknowledgement is appropriate.

We are SO incredibly grateful to have received a generous charitable grant on behalf of the Joan Stevenson and Brian Clapson Family Fund!

YANA is built on community. On people caring about people. On showing up for local families during some of their hardest days and making sure they know they don’t have to do it alone.

So much gratitude. So much community. So much YANA love.

We are sending a HUGE YANA thank-you to the Comox Valley Makers Market, and especially to the incredible Patty & Michelle, for all the time, energy, and heart they poured into putting on Saturday markets ALL. SUMMER. LONG! 🙌

Week after week, they brought together local makers, shoppers, and community members, and made sure YANA was part of it too!!!!

Through concession proceeds and generous donations collected throughout the summer, the Comox Valley Makers Market raised an INCREDIBLE $1,329.35 for YANA families! 🎉

2026 YANA Ride sees record-breaking fundraising in Comox Valley

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Originally published by the Comox Valley Record September 4, 2026

The 2026 YANA Ride has officially wrapped up, bringing another incredible summer of riding, fundraising, and community spirit to a close. The Comox Valley came together in a big way, raising a record-breaking $125,000 to support families who must travel for medical care for a child or pregnant mother.

From August 1 to 16, 239 riders of all ages and abilities took to roads, trails, and paths across the community, with 27 teams made up of friends, families, co-workers, and riding crews. The top three fundraising teams, Pedal Pirates, Ale Blazers, and Da Wheel Women, collectively raised well over $23,000. In addition, our top individual fundraiser, Mark Purcell, raised more than $21,000 for the 2026 Ride.

One of the new additions to this year’s Ride was the YANA Ride Passport, which gave riders destinations to seek out and plenty of inspiration for creating their own routes through the community. Riders loved the new challenge, with many collecting 10, 20, 30 or even 40 stamps along the way. Checkpoint businesses got in on the fun too, celebrating the riders who stopped by and offering creative Ride Day Exclusives to add to the experience.

The two-week Ride ended with a celebration on August 16 at the Party in the Park at Comox Marina Park, where riders, families, volunteers, sponsors, and supporters gathered for an afternoon of music, activities, food, and plenty of fun. Riders were welcomed through recognition stations where qualifying fundraisers received their exclusive 2026 YANA Ride t-shirts, prizes, and gift cards and certificates generously donated by sponsors.

The park was filled with live music from Massie and Patterson, Nick Gastis and Friends, Sum Her Sum Her, and INUK, along with a site-wide beer garden, Taoist Tai Chi demonstrations, and plenty of hot dogs and refreshments. The family fun zone kept younger attendees entertained with face painting, bouncy castles, yard games, a Little Wheelers course, and the Comox Valley Toy Library Society’s popular toy station.

The afternoon also featured the highly anticipated 50/50 Draw, Air Canada Foundation Raffle, and third annual YANA Golf Ball Drop. Hundreds of golf balls dropped from the top of a Comox Fire Rescue ladder truck, creating one of the most exciting moments of the afternoon and a spectacle that continues to become a favourite part of the YANA Ride.

“The YANA Ride is about so much more than riding,” says YANA Executive Director Kelly Barnie. “It’s about bringing people together and reminding families that they have an entire community behind them. This year, we saw that support in so many ways, from riders and fundraising teams to businesses taking part in the passports, volunteers giving their time, sponsors supporting the event, and everyone who came out to celebrate with us. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity and enthusiasm that made this year’s Ride such a success. Because of this community, YANA can continue to be there for families when they need support, and that is something worth celebrating.”

Today, we have a remarkable story of people showing up for one another, both near and far.

First and foremost, we want to extend a HUGE and heartfelt thank you to the firefighters who have been working tirelessly to protect communities, homes and properties from wildfires across BC. We are especially proud of the members of our local Comox, Courtenay, Oyster River and Errington fire crews who travelled to the Clinton area to lend their skills, strength and support when the Pear Lake and 59 Mile wildfires merged. 🚒🩵💛🧡💚

And from their incredible efforts came another beautiful act of community.

Bolster Enterprises Ltd. had not one but TWO properties, incredibly important to them, protected by these crews. In gratitude, Bolster Enterprises chose to make a generous $500 donation to YANA! 🥹

There is something pretty special about watching one act of care ripple into another: firefighters travelling beyond their own communities to help people in need, a local business experiencing that kindness firsthand, and then choosing to pass it along to families here in the Comox Valley.

To the firefighters, thank you for showing up. 🚒

To Bolster Enterprises, thank you for paying that gratitude forward. 💙

And to every person who continues to prove that community extends far beyond our own backyard, thank you.

This is what looking out for one another looks like. It’s community caring for community, kindness inspiring more kindness, and a beautiful reminder that wherever we may be, You Are Not Alone.

Thank You to the 2026 YANA Riders and Supporters!

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The 2026 YANA Ride was a celebration from start to finish! This year brought a new way to experience the Ride with the YANA Ride Passport. By collecting stamps at checkpoints and enjoying special ride-day exclusives, our community made the 2026 YANA Ride one to remember! 

Then came Party in the Park, where sunny skies, all-day live music, and an afternoon filled with fun gave everyone the perfect place to come together and celebrate. Thanks to the  generosity of our riders, donors, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters, the 2026 YANA Ride raised an incredible $125,000 to help provide travel and accommodation support to families travelling for medical care for a child or pregnancy. 

From the first passport stamp to Party in the Park, the 2026 YANA Ride gave us so many moments to remember. We’re so proud of what this community accomplished together. Here’s to the memories and an amazing Ride!

 

A huge THANK YOU to Scott Parsons and everyone behind the Bud Englund Memorial Contractors Cup Charity Golf Tournament for another incredible year of coming together, having some fun, and giving back! A total of $7217 was raised!!!!⛳️ 

We are incredibly grateful to once again be chosen as a charity recipient of this special tournament held in memory of Bud Englund. The love for Bud and his community continues to shine through this event, and we feel so lucky to be a small part of something that means so much to so many. 🩵💛🧡💚 

Thank you for continuing Bud’s legacy in such an incredible way and for including YANA in it!

A huge THANK YOU to Brian McLean GMC for choosing YANA as the charity recipient for donations from their FINAL Corvette Car Show! 🏎️💨

We are so grateful to Brian McLean GMC for continuing to find fun and meaningful ways to support YANA families. While it may be a bittersweet end to an era, we couldn’t think of a better way to wrap it up than with 80+ incredible Corvettes brought together for our community to enjoy! 🏁

Thank you to the Brian McLean GMC team, every Corvette owner who came out to take part, and everyone who stopped by, admired the cars, and donated in support of YANA families. 

What an incredible final show; thank you for taking YANA along for the ride!

Thank you to the Comox Valley Blue Devils for making a splash for YANA! 💙

We are truly so grateful to the Blue Devils swimmers, families, coaches, and everyone who pledged their support during this year’s Swim-a-Thon!  🏊

Congratulations on a fantastic season and thank you for choosing to make YANA part of it!!!

❤️🏍️WOW. Just… WOW. 🏍️❤️

A HUGE thank you to the Eagle Riders of Campbell River for choosing YANA as one of the three charities to benefit from this year’s Poker Run! ♥️ ♣️ ♦️♠️ 

We are absolutely blown away by your incredible generosity and honoured to receive an amazing $4,500 donation. Thank you for welcoming us to be part of such an incredible event and for creating a day that brings people together while giving back in such a meaningful way. Your kindness, community spirit, and commitment to helping others is truly inspiring. 

From all of us at YANA, and the families you help support, thank you!!!

Community supporting community. That’s what YANA is all about!!!! 🩵💛🧡💚

THANK YOU to Careica Health, Pacific Sleep Care, and the wonderful Bethany Young for this incredible gift of $5,000 through the Careica Gives program! 

Careica Gives is Careica Health’s corporate giving initiative, where a staff-led committee encourages volunteerism and invites team members to nominate organizations that are making a difference in their communities. This year, YANA mom Bethany Young, from Pacific Sleep Care, chose to nominate YANA.

Bethany, thank you for believing in what we do and for sharing our story with your Careica family. Your nomination has turned into meaningful support that will help local Comox Valley families.

To everyone at Careica Health, thank you for creating a culture of generosity and giving your employees the opportunity to make a real impact in the communities they call home. We are so honoured to have been selected and grateful for your support.