News
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.
Chart your own course for 2020 YANA Ride
Posted on
Originally published by Comox Valley Record – July 7, 2020
Registration for annual fundraiser ongoing
Excitement over this year’s Comox Bike Co. YANA Ride continues to build.
For the 2020 event riders can choose to ride anywhere they like, for any distance they like. In addition to the stalwart YANA supporters from the Comox Valley, riders this year have registered from as far afield as Calgary, Ottawa and England and will be riding on terrain ranging from roads to trails and tracks. The reimagined ride allows support for YANA by anyone from anywhere!
YANA (You Are Not Alone) is a community organization offering help to Comox Valley families who need to travel for medical services for their children. The Comox Bike Co. YANA ride is a major annual fundraiser for the Comox Valley organization.
The 2020 ride will take place Aug. 1-15.
For more information or to register visit https://www.yanacomoxvalley.com/yana-event/ride/.
2020 YANA Ride ‘reinvented’ to conform with COVID-19 guidelines
Posted on
Originally published by Comox Valley Record –June 24, 2020
Registration for the reinvented 2020 Comox Bike Company YANA Ride is now open.
Instead of the charity’s signature summer event that brings hundreds of riders and volunteers together, the eighth annual ride has been transformed into a fully flexible, ‘chart your own course’ ride format observing social distancing guidelines.
From expert cyclists to biking beginners, the 15-day event encourages riders of all ages and abilities to hop on their bikes and fundraise for YANA families. The fully flexible ride means participants choose when they ride anytime between Aug. 1-15, whether it is one day or multiple days. They also choose where they ride. From roads or trails to living rooms and tracks, 1 km or 1,000 km, the choices are unlimited. Participants even choose what they want to ride. From road bikes and mountain bikes to gravel bikes, e-bikes and trikes. If it has wheels and pedals, it is perfect for this ride.
“The news of not being able to hold our traditional event that raised $80,000 last year hit pretty hard,” said YANA board president Kelly Rusk. “It’s been really inspiring to see our volunteer organizers pivot the ride format so quickly, and to see how people are jumping right on board. The flexibility we’ve had to use this year has actually really opened things up. We have mountain bikers planning to ride the trails, a family in Ontario registered, and we’ve even heard about an 80-year-old grandpa in England who’s planning to ride his stationary bike for his grandsons’ team. It’s all pretty incredible!”
YANA supported over 600 medical trips last year and provided $322,876 in funding and accommodation support. In 2019, funds raised from the ride covered more than half the accommodation costs for children and pregnant mothers needing to travel out of our community for medical reasons.
“We are so thankful for the support our riders, sponsors and donors are showing for our families,” said YANA executive director Kelly Barnie. “So many families are facing financial challenges now that they never have before. The last thing we want any family worrying about is whether they can afford to get their child the medical care they need. Our fundraising events and donations allow us to promise the community that we’ll be there for them no matter what. Every kilometre cycled and every dollar raised makes sure we can keep that promise.”
All registered riders who are raising funds for YANA will be rewarded with prizes. Every single rider bringing in donations will receive a prize or gift card donated by or purchased at a local business using sponsorship funds.
The top 300 fundraising riders will receive an original design 2020 T-shirt thanks to Comox Bike Company YANA Ride sponsor, Dr. Andreas Conradi.
The ride will run from Aug. 1-15. Registrations are now open.
To sign up, sponsor a rider or get more information about the Comox Bike Company YANA Ride, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2020/31723/comox-bike-company-yana-ride
When, Where and What will YOU Ride?
Posted on
The 2020 Comox Bike Company Ride is a fully flexible, socially distanced event.
Registration is entirely by donation.
Whether you are in the position to give a little or to give a lot- Bikes will keep us together….even when we’re apart.
Show your love for biking and for the YANA families in our community, and join the team! Every dollar donated is used to provide support for families needing to travel for medical treatment for a child or pregnant mother.
Flex your ride!
- Ride WHEN you like- Any time between August 1-15, 2020.
- Early morning, late in the day, ride one day, or ride many days….the choice is yours!
- Ride WHERE you like- Choose your own personal route distance, location, and pace.
- 1km or 1000kms; road, trail, track, or living room; speed of light or a snail’s pace…the choice is yours!
- Ride WHAT you like- If it has wheels and is powered by YOU, it’s perfect for this ride.
- Road bike, mountain bike, gravel bike, e-bike, trike, unicycle….the choice is yours!
SAFETY FIRST– Ride Safely observing current social distancing guidelines and all rules of the road/trails.
Mike Seib at Dark Seib Enterprises continues to support YANA with monthly donations from Charlie’s Auto Wash. Mike, we thank you and appreciate your ongoing support!
When the ‘Marvellous Mask Making Marcie Dumais’ refused to accept payment for the 6 PPE masks she made Patti Fletcher decided to donate the funds to YANA! Thanks from the tip of our masks to the bottom of our hearts.
Huge gratitude to Nourish Wellness for making us their charity of choice for proceeds from their Karma Yoga classes this Spring. What a wonderful way to try out different yoga styles while giving back to our community!
A big shout out to the staff at Waypoint Insurance, Crown Isle who generously donated funds raised from their Jeans Day to YANA. Thank you so much!!
We’re so grateful to the Children’s Health Foundation Vancouver Island for their generous funding of our Denman Hornby Connector Program for Expecting Mothers and our YANA Connects Parent and Caregiver Support Program. These programs allow YANA to help Denman/Hornby families safely welcome their new wee ones into the world, and to provide a safe space where all YANA family caregivers can lean on each other for peer support and camaraderie. We are very excited to be able to offer these valuable programs again this year thanks to the ongoing support of CHFVI. To read more about the Children’s Health Foundation Vancouver Island and the great work they do, visit https://islandkidsfirst.com
June 1, 2020 COVID-19 Update
Posted on
To our YANA Families and Community Supporters,
Our YANA services will continue during the COVID-19 pandemic but we are continuing to do our part in slowing the spread and in keeping our clients and staff safe.
Effective June 1, 2020, we will be open for necessary drop-in visits during our normal Tuesday and Thursday 10:00am – 2:00pm office hours.
We ensure a sanitized environment in the office and will continue to take the appropriate precautions to minimize risks associated with the virus. ALL visitors will be required to answer health check questions before entering, wash hands or sanitize upon arrival, and maintain 6ft/2m social distance at all times.
If you are experiencing cough, shortness of breath, fever or any other COVID-19 type symptoms please do NOT visit the office.
To access client care services remotely or to connect with us about community fundraising or donations outside office hours, please call us at 250-871-0343 or send an email to info@yanacomoxvalley.com.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding, and for your help in the coordinated effort stay safe as we start to cautiously reopen services in our community. 💗
There aren’t the words to describe the depths of our gratitude to the Comox Valley Community Foundation and their philanthropic donors. They’ve bestowed us with a grant to help replace the carpets in our YANA apartments with new laminate flooring, which will be highly impactful to the families who need the most hygienic environment possible. Thank you!!
