YANA’s beloved handmade Christmas Crackers are back for the 2025 holiday season! For over twenty years, these festive favourites have brought joy to local homes and vital support to YANA families.
Each cracker is filled with the usual delights, and 50 lucky ones contain special prizes, including a breathtaking diamond ring donated by Mark the Gold Guy and appraised by Tim Haley.
Crackers are $5 each (cash only) and will be available starting November 13th at retailers across the Comox Valley. Don’t wait, they sell out fast!
❤️ Huge thanks to Somers Private Wealth of RBC Dominion Securities! Their sponsorship covers the costs of this fundraiser, ensuring 100% of proceeds are used directly to help local families in need of medical travel support.
“YANA gave my parents an apartment to live in near the hospital. Mom and Dad told me that YANA was able to help us because we lived in the Comox Valley, where people cared a lot.”
You Are Not Alone. A familiar phrase we all know and share to offer both comfort and reassurance. For the residents of the Comox Valley, however, it also means a coming together of people—a community.
You Are Not Alone (commonly known as YANA) is a charity based in Courtenay, BC, that offers accommodations and funding to Comox Valley families who require medical treatment beyond our region. It was originally founded in 1986 by Sandra Williams after her daughter, Roberta, was diagnosed with congenital heart failure. They were referred to Vancouver for medical treatment—with a long haul of frequent, lengthy, and costly visits.
During this time, Sandra realized that countless other families were in the very same situation, and eventually, with the help of her family and a dedicated group of volunteers, she spearheaded the creation of a way to help: the You Are Not Alone (YANA) Fund Society. Now, after nearly 40 years of service, YANA has become a powerful example of what can be made possible when a community comes together.
Depending on the year, approximately 94 to 98 per cent of the organization’s funds are generated on their local events and community contributions. Just last year, in 2024, YANA successfully raised over $450,000—helping 271 families with 588 medical trips. Of those donations, 96 per cent came from right here, in the Comox Valley.
These remarkable initiatives are powered by YANA’s small but mighty team. They organize and host three major fundraisers every year: the YANA Ride, a community-wide bike event; YANA Christmas Crackers, a festive sale of 5,000 handcrafted holiday crackers; and the YANA Big Love Benefit, a dinner and auction celebrating local philanthropy.
These events are made possible thanks to the hard work of dedicated volunteers and the generous sponsorships of local businesses. One such business who lends a helping hand is Sure Copy, a locally owned print shop committed to supporting its Comox Valley community.
Like many charities, YANA carefully stewards every dollar to keep administrative costs low and maximize impact for families. To help, Sure Copy sponsors their print services, ensuring that YANA has everything covered, from posters and thank-you cards to event program booklets and more. “Our operational budget is extremely low because the simple fact is every dollar we spend is one less dollar we have to use for our families,” explains Kelly Barnie, YANA’s executive director. “It can be a difficult circle to be in, but when someone steps up like Sure Copy has, it breaks that cycle.”
Budgets and bills haven’t been the only obstacles YANA has had to overcome. “2020 – 2021 was a time where everything changed,” says Kelly. “All of our events were in person so we had to come up with a lot of different ways to do what we do, but we were determined to find a way to do it.”
Many of YANA’s fundraising gatherings had to evolve into virtual alternatives—online auctions, chart-your-own-course bike routes, and more. But that was only half the battle. As Kelly explains, “Any changes we made required a big effort in communication to ensure the community was made aware.”
Although these innovative solutions enabled YANA to continue raising funds for families, it all came at a price. “Amidst the heat of it all, Sure Copy stepped up and became our go-to,” Kelly shares. “Their support granted us the ability to make choices that best served our families without worrying about the cost. In a way, it’s not just printing. For us, it’s a form of freedom.”
Today, YANA has fused both in-person and virtual options for all their fundraisers. Born of necessity during the adverse conditions of 2020, going partly virtual has resulted in a continuous, compounding growth in donations year after year.
“We used to think our limitation was available space. For instance, the Big Love event—we’d sell out in like 12 seconds.” Kelly reflects, “In hindsight, however, our limitation was actually accessibility. These changes revolutionized not only how we deliver our fundraising events but also made them accessible to anyone who’s a YANA supporter.”
For the past 40 years, YANA has not only worked tirelessly to serve the families of the Comox Valley but has fostered, in many ways, a communal heart. It’s a place where neighbours help neighbours—a coming together of beautiful people.
Sure Copy has proudly been supporting and sponsoring local organizations who enrich the Comox Valley community for over 20 years. Their commitment to supporting local initiatives is founded on their dedication to empowering communities and building lasting relationships.
Originally published by Comox Valley Record – August 29, 2025 The 2025 YANA Ride has crossed the finish line for another year, and the Comox Valley has once again proven just how powerful community can be. Riders, donors, sponsors, and volunteers came together to raise a record-breaking $112,600 to support local families who must travel to access medical care for a child or pregnant mother.
This year’s ride celebrated the power of teamwork. Participants teamed up with friends, family, co-workers, and riding crews to form 25 teams, making this summer of riding for a cause close to their hearts unforgettable. Together, 235 participants of all ages and abilities joined in from August 1 to 17, hitting trails, roads, and paths with purpose and passion. The top three fundraising teams – Coastwood Cares, Pedal Pirates, and Ale Blazers – set the pace, collectively raising well over $30,000. With one major contribution still in process, the top fundraising team, Coastwood Cares, led by Mark Purcell, had received over $14,000 in pledges as of the last count this year.
The fundraising and celebrations culminated on August 17 with the Party in the Park, featuring fun at every turn. Upon entering the park, the first stop was the recognition stations where fundraising riders received exclusive YANA Ride t-shirts, gift cards and certificates donated by generous sponsors, and their choice of a YANA Ride tote bag or sports towel. Throughout the rest of the park, attendees enjoyed live music by DJ Inuk and Christy Vanden, a lively beer garden, Taoist Tai Chi demonstrations, and delicious snacks. The family fun zone was filled with face painting, bouncy castles, yard games, a Little Wheelers course, and the Comox Valley Toy Library Society’s popular toy station. The excitement of the day hit a high during the announcement of the 50/50 and Air Canada winners and the second annual Golf Ball Drop, where hundreds of golf balls rained down from a Comox Fire Rescue truck basket in an epic spectacle that is quickly becoming a fan favourite.
“The Ride is about so much more than biking,” says YANA Executive Director Kelly Barnie. “It is truly a celebration of community spirit and kindness, and of how the Comox Valley rallies behind its own. We want to send a huge thank you to every rider, donor, volunteer, and sponsor who helped make the incredible success of this event possible. You are all the reason we get to say yes to our families. Being able to sign off emails by saying, ‘Please know your community has your back,’ is something more special than I will ever possibly be able to explain.”
The annual YANA Ride brings together riders of all ages, abilities, and disciplines in one massive community-wide event to raise funds in support of YANA families.
Registration starts June 1, 2025, and participating is as easy as 1-2-3!
REGISTER & RALLY – Round up your friends, family, coworkers or riding crew and register as a team! Rallying together makes fundraising more fun and impactful — and every team member’s tax-receiptable registration donation counts toward your collective goal. Prefer to ride solo? No problem — individual riders are always welcome too! However you roll, you’ll be riding for local families who need it most.
RIDE & RAISE – Choose your Challenge tracking distance, time, number of trails, or number of communities you’ve ridden in, OR chart your very own course. Ride on Sunday, August 17th, or any day between August 1st to 17th, collecting pledges along the way.
Distance Challenge – YANA supported 271 children and pregnant mothers last year.
Gather pledges for the 271 kms you ride for this challenge.
Time Challenge – YANA helped families with 588 medical trips last year.
Gather pledges for the 588 minutes you ride for this challenge.
Trail Challenge– YANA helps children tackle the toughest terrain of their medical journey.
Gather pledges as you ride 3 off-road trails for this challenge.
Communities Challenge – YANA helps families from every Comox Valley community.
Gather pledges as you ride in 3 communities for this challenge.
OR Chart Your Own Course riding and gathering pledges as you ride between Aug 1st-17th. Consider becoming a YANA Ambassador Rider to help promote YANA’s fundraising efforts by sharing your adventures.
REUNITE at the massive PARTY IN THE PARK celebration on Sunday, August 17th from 11AM to 4PM at Comox Marina Park. Riders, families, friends, and YANA supporters far and wide are welcome!!
This is a party you won’t want to miss! Party in the Park highlights include:
$1000 Comox Bike Co. gift certificate grand prize draw! All registered riders at the Party in the Park can enter to win
Finish line and congratulatory stations
Sponsor-donated prizes for every fundraising rider and the official 2025 YANA Ride t-shirt for the top 200 fundraisers
Beer garden featuring Ravens Moon Cider and Gladstone Brewing
In a whirlwind of events, Autumn Knopp was born eight weeks early and immediately flown to Victoria for specialized neonatal care. Samantha Knopp was transported by ambulance shortly after, while the rest of the Knopp family remained in the Comox Valley, unsure of what would come next. That’s when YANA stepped in.
“Kourtney [the Client Care Coordinator at YANA] was wonderful. She reached out right away and made sure we could all be together,” shared Knopp. “She found a hotel for my husband and our older daughter, Jozlyn so that we could stay close.”
The support didn’t end there. When Autumn was transferred from Victoria to Nanaimo’s NICU, Kourtney once again helped the Knopps find accommodations near the hospital so they could remain close to their newborn. “YANA was there every single day we needed something,” Knopp said. “Kourtney was a wealth of knowledge. She connected us with all the supports we needed. We weren’t prepared for what happened, but YANA helped us through it all.”
Thanks to YANA, the Knopps were able to stay together throughout Autumn’s 20-day NICU journey, easing the emotional and financial stress of being far from home.
Now, the Knopp family is giving back by participating in this year’s YANA Ride. Riding for baby Autumn, her big sister Jozlyn is raising funds for YANA so they can continue supporting families like hers. Every day after daycare, Jozlyn jumps on her bike and rides home, each pedal stroke a symbol of hope, resilience, and gratitude.
“We’re riding for Autumn and for all the families who will need YANA one day,” said Knopp. “We want to give back to the organization that was there for us when we needed it the most.”
At the time the article was written, Jozlyn Knopp was just a few hundred dollars away from reaching her $2,000 fundraising goal. Let’s help her get there! Donations can be made by clicking the “Register – Make a Pledge – Get Info” button at www.yanacomoxvalley.com.
Every contribution supports YANA’s mission to ensure Comox Valley families with children or pregnant mothers needing medical care away from home can stay together and focus on what truly matters: healing and being there for each other. YANA’s Executive Director, Kelly Barnie, sums it up best, “Every time someone rides, donates, or cheers a little rider like Jozlyn on, they become part of something powerful. Together, we make sure that no family is ever alone during one of the hardest times of their life. That’s what YANA is all about.”
To participate in the 2025 YANA Ride, donate to a rider like Jozlyn, or get more information about joining the fun at the August 17th YANA Ride Party in the Park, visit www.yanacomoxvalley.com.
You have until Monday, April 28, to turn in your golden tickets for this year’s Valley Vonka contest. This isn’t just a chocolate fix — it’s a treasure hunt.
Hidden in more than 3,000 bars made by Comox Valley’s own Hot Chocolates are five golden tickets, and at least three are still out there. The bars are scattered across participating businesses throughout the Valley, so your chances are still very real.
Need a place to start? You can still pick up Valley Vonka bars at Peninsula Co-op and Hot Chocolates — but don’t wait, they won’t last long. Each chocolate bar you buy supports YANA (You Are Not Alone), a local non-profit that helps Comox Valley families with children who need to travel for medical care.
Each golden ticket is worth between $780 and $1,000. Prizes include:
The Ultimate Relaxation Package: A luxurious stay at The Old House Resort & Spa, a delectable dinner at a local restaurant, and a family spa day (Value: $1,000)
A Healing Escape: Experience the magical Healing Caves at the Kingfisher Pacific Resort and Spa, an experience for four (Value: $780)
Save on Fuel: A Peninsula Co-Op Gas Card (Value: $1,000)
Shopping Spree Time: A Canadian Tire Shopping Spree (Value: $1,000)
Grocery Goodness: A Quality Foods Gift Card (for Comox and Courtenay stores – Value: $1,000)
So whether or not you find a ticket, you’re doing something great for your community.
Find gold, do good, and don’t forget — tickets must be turned in by April 28!
Théodore Labrecque made an early appearance in the world this past December, and his birth gave his parents an expected adventure throughout the province, with help thanks to YANA.
Parents Rebecca and Jean-François Labrecque son’s birth took a surprise turn when he was born prematurely in the Valley.
The Labrecques went to the North Island Hospital Comox Valley, but due to complications, they had to find a neonatal intensive care unit.
“We were originally sent to Victoria, then Nanaimo and then Vancouver, but they were all full,” explains Jean-François. “As we were waiting in the hospital (getting ready to leave), a nurse came up to us and handed us an envelope from YANA with some money.”
The couple took an emergency flight transfer to Kamloops where Rebecca had a C-section; Théodore was born on Dec. 3, 2024 at 8:13 p.m. Because he was being monitored for jaundice and had to spend extra time feeding, the family was required to stay in the area for longer than expected.
Jean-François says in the original envelope there was a note from YANA that told him to contact the organization once the couple had settled with their newborn. He called YANA and, nearly right away, was transferred funds to help support the family for food and transportation, as they didn’t have a way of returning to the Comox Valley.
“Within a short time, I had a link to a car rental, funds for the ferry and for gas. We even had a stop in Pemberton with a hotel booked because we didn’t want to travel the whole way in one day with a newborn – everything was organized for us.”
He adds that both he and Rebecca are still in awe of the community’s generosity and how effortlessly the support came together.
“Rebecca knew of YANA from community fundraisers, but it is still amazing to see it (in action.) The nurse at the hospital just gave us an envelope, and overall (YANA) was so good as it saved us a lot of (expenses).
As for Théo, he’s been thriving and gaining weight just as he should. The family recently returned from a visit with loved ones.
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The Valley Vonka – a major fundraiser for YANA, is ongoing in the Comox Valley. Businesses throughout the community are selling chocolate bars (by donation) with the chance to find one of five Golden Tickets inside the bar. A Golden Ticket qualifies the redeemer to one of five grand prizes, values anywhere from $780 to $1,000.
YANA stands for “You Are Not Alone,” and for the family of Henri Gayet-Hanachowicz, that couldn’t be more true.
Gayet-Hanachowicz is a 10 year old boy living in the Comox Valley. He and his family moved here in 2022 from Vancouver. He’s a happy kid, mom Alice Gayet says, despite needing to go back to Vancouver every few months or so and visit a series of specialists to help deal with a variety of health issues. Gayet-Hanachowicz was diagnosed with infantile onset of Crohn’s disease and infantile hyperthyroidism at the age of one. That led to a diagnosis at three of juvenile arthritis. That same year he had urgent eye surgery, and doctors discovered brain lesions. A few years later, he was diagnosed with a bone disease and psoriasis, among other health issues.
“Crohn’s disease for babies is extremely rare and aggressive,” Gayet said. “It’s a quite complex disease, and severe … Hyperthyroidism, when you’re an adult it’s okay, but when you’re a baby it can lead to developmental and intellectual delays.
“We were at the hospital quite a lot for this. Basically for years he has been on a combination of immunosuppressants, many of which were not approved for kids for a long time,” she said.
Gayet and her husband moved from France to Vancouver, where Henri was born. They made the move to Comox in 2022. BCFRP (BC Family Residence Program) told her about YANA and advised her to contact them. That’s when everything changed.
“I’d actually never heard about it, so I decided to call them,” Gayet said. “It wasn’t easy, because it’s not easy asking for help. I spoke to Kourtney (Van Velzen) there and she was so kind and empathetic and so supportive … it was a huge relief. I actually cried when I spoke to her.
“I was very shocked that people who never met us would help organize places for us to stay, help with expenses … we don’t have family here, they’re in Europe. It’s very lonely sometimes, and … to connect with this many people has been really transformative.”
Now, instead of worrying about where they are going to stay, eat, travel, how they are going to pay for it, they get to pay attention to what really matters: their son. Now, they try to find other things to do outside of Henri’s appointments, things like going to arcades and the aquarium.
“I got a strong little guy, and great support,” Gayet said, adding that YANA adds “emotional support, on top of the practical assistance, and the sense of community.”
“Every time we travel to Vancouver, there’s at least one moment when I just have a wave of gratitude,” she said. “It’s usually when we get off the ferry … they really gave us a sense of community.”
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The Valley Vonka – a major fundraiser for YANA, is ongoing in the Comox Valley. Businesses throughout the community are selling chocolate bars (by donation) with the chance to find one of five Golden Tickets inside the bar. A Golden Ticket qualifies the redeemer to one of five grand prizes, values anywhere from $780 to $1,000.
In September of 2024, after waiting for almost two years, Heather Kohnle received a call from BC Children’s Hospital that the much needed spinal surgery her daughter had to have was finally happening.
Brianna suffered from extreme scoliosis and had tumours on her spine, further exasperating her condition. She had to be taken to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver for surgery to straighten her spine, insert two rods and 26 screws.
“She had been waiting so long, it just got so painful for her. She couldn’t walk anymore, she couldn’t sit in a chair anymore, her scoliosis was so bad because there’s a tumour in her spine,” shared Kohnle.
Kohnle needed to be with Brianna at the hospital while she had her surgery and during recovery, meaning she would be off work for almost three months.
“I’m a single mom, I”ve got two kids at home, I’m working full time and I had to take three months off,” said Kohnle.
When it came to the costs associated with travelling back and forth from BC Children’s Hospital and Courtenay, YANA stepped in and covered costs. There were many appointments and YANA was there every step of the way. Including helping Kohnle see her son who was back in Courtenay this whole time.
“Here’s my son back in Courtenay, having to live life on his own and start school with my mother’s support. It was so nice that YANA helped us. After two weeks of being in the hospital in September, YANA helped us get my mother, son and Brianna’s best friend over to Vancouver for a weekend.”
Finally, when it came time for Brianna to be discharged from the hospital, Kohnle was hit with a $610 bill for a back brace that Brianna had to have in order to leave. It would keep her spine straight and keep her from damaging the new rods and screws. While YANA couldn’t cover that cost, they found a charity that could.
“They reached out to two different charities and the second one paid the entire $610 bill for the brace for us.”
“YANA is the coolest thing ever. And since we’ve been home, they have facilitated check ups, getting us back and forth. I can’t say enough good things about them.”
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The Valley Vonka – a major fundraiser for YANA, is ongoing in the Comox Valley. Businesses throughout the community are selling chocolate bars (by donation) with the chance to find one of five Golden Tickets inside the bar. A Golden Ticket qualifies the redeemer to one of five grand prizes, values anywhere from $780 to $1,000.
Chanel Martin is busy learning the ropes of her daughter’s battle with seizures while keeping her life in order.
Carrera Wiesselmann started having seizures when she was just two. She was taken to specialists and put on seven different medications but still suffering from seizures.
“She was still having seizures, we couldn’t figure out why. That’s when we started going to BC Children’s Hospital and they were able to test her there,” said Martin.
It was during that stay at BC Children’s Hospital that Carrera underwent a week-long electroencephalography (EEG) to find the underlying cause of her seizures. Doctors discovered that she had a tumour on her left frontal lobe.
“It’s a slow growing grade level one,” Martin explains of the tumour.
She underwent surgery to remove the tumour but only 90 per cent could be removed as it was attached to her speech memory. Carrera continues to live with 10 per cent of the tumour and regularly goes to have MRI’s completed to check on the tumour.
Not only does YANA help Martin out with getting Carrera to her often last minute appointments at BC Children’s Hospital, they have helped find her coverage through other funding for Carrera’s very expensive medications.
“One is about $200 a month and the other is $400 every two months. [YANA] helped me figure out funding for her medication.”
“It has been a super relief in knowing that YANA is there to help me because I’m still navigating myself throughout this and worried about all of this stuff. I couldn’t afford to go over to Vancouver and miss work. They have just been so wonderful and I can reach out to them anytime. About anything,” shared Martin of her experience with YANA.
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The Valley Vonka – a major fundraiser for YANA, is ongoing in the Comox Valley. Businesses throughout the community are selling chocolate bars (by donation) with the chance to find one of five Golden Tickets inside the bar. A Golden Ticket qualifies the redeemer to one of five grand prizes, values anywhere from $780 to $1,000.
