News
Bringing the Bling to YANA
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In 1997 Sandra Williams, founder of YANA, approached Mark Dalziel of Comox Valley Pawnbrokers about donating a piece of jewellery to help raise money to assist Comox Valley families who needed to travel for the medical care of a child. He didn’t hesitate and 18 years later Dalziel, a.k.a. Mark the Gold Guy, is still ‘bringing the bling’ to YANA.
As a teenager Dalziel grew up next door to the Williams family. When their daughter, Roberta, became ill and spent months in Vancouver for treatment, he saw first hand what that can mean for a family. “The most important thing for a child in that situation is having their parents by their side,” he says, “That is what home means to them.”
For almost 20 years YANA has welcomed the holiday season by making and selling Christmas Crackers. Each cracker is lovingly handcrafted by volunteers and filled with fun prizes. 50 crackers have special prizes, including one with a grand prize. This year Dalziel has donated a diamond ring appraised at $4,545 as the grand prize for this holiday tradition.
Christmas crackers go on sale Thursday, November 19th for $3 each and can be purchased at the following locations:
– YANA Office, SOLD OUT
– Driftwood Mall Christmas Tree Display, Courtenay SOLD OUT
– Driftwood Dental, Cliffe Ave., Courtenay SOLD OUT
– BCAA, Cliffe Ave., Courtenay SOLD OUT
– First Insurance, 8th Street, Courtenay SOLD OUT
– Edible Island, 6th Street, Courtenay SOLD OUT
– F.D. Interiors, 5th Street, Courtenay SOLD OUT
– Blush Salon, 5th Street, Courtenay SOLD OUT
– Coastal Community Credit Unions, all branches SOLD OUT
– Harbourview Dental, Comox Ave., Comox SOLD OUT
– Comox Recreation Centre, Noel Ave., Comox SOLD OUT
– Arizona Gift Gallery, Comox Mall SOLD OUT
– 40 Knots Winery, Anderton Rd., Comox SOLD OUT
– Seeds Market, Dunsmuir at 3rd Street, Cumberland SOLD OUT
– First Credit Union, Dunsmuir Rd., Cumberland SOLD OUT
– Vancouver Island Visitor Centre, 3607 Small Road off the Hwy Connector SOLD OUT
– Charles Dickens Christmas Craft Faire at the Florence Filberg Centre Nov 13-15
– Christmas at the Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park Craft Fair Nov 28 only
These Comox Valley favourites sell out long before Christmas, so don’t miss out!
Fluid Bar & Grill added YANA to their Halloween fun with “Bobbing for Bar Tabs.” Thank you to these happy, smiling people!
Thank you to Susan Carson of CIBC Wood Gundy who donates annually through the CIBC World Markets Children’s Miracle Foundation. We feel fortunate to have your support.
Appreciation to our canine friends and their owners who entertained guests with tricks at the Black Creek Fair. Go dogs go!
We were thrilled to have enthusiastic, hardworking volunteers from First Insurance help at the YANA office during their Community Impact Day. Thank you!
Much gratitude to Mark the Gold Guy of Comox Valley Pawnbrokers who donated a beautiful diamond ring valued at $4,500 for the Christmas cracker grand prize and to Tim Haley for appraising its value. You amaze us with your generosity year after year!
Our volunteers went crackers over crackers! Thanks to everyone involved in crafting 5,000 Christmas crackers in record time! A big thank-you to our lead coordinator, Lesley Hunter, and to her special assistants Darlene Nelson, Judy Cryer, Nan Jancowski, Alana Adamschek and Sandy Houlgrave.
Thank you to Belfor Property Restoration for storing many big boxes of cracker-making supplies for YANA.
Many thanks to everyone involved in our October Kids’ Clutter Sale including sellers, donors, shoppers, volunteers, Courtenay Elementary School, School District 71, and Coastal Transportation and Storage. Special thanks to Tanya Del Bianco, Dennyse Harris, Judy Cryer and Kyle Timms.
Cracker crafting drop-in sessions wrapped up
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Please note that day time cracker crafting drop-in sessions are wrapped up for this year. We are nearly done making 5,000 Christmas crackers thanks to a great community response. Scheduled evening sessions are full and will proceed as planned. Thank you to everyone who is helping with this annual tradition.