The Big Love Benefit is an annual dinner and auction in celebration of the philanthropy and love that surrounds YANA. This gala fundraiser is filled with fun, friends and community spirit.
Comox Valley, you are definitive proof that love knows no bounds! The Big Love 2024 event was nothing short of spectacular, and we are overjoyed to share that, together, we raised an unbelievable $232,000 for YANA families.
“Incredible. I honestly don’t know how to explain how grateful we are for everything you’ve done for us.”
“I can’t properly express just how much it means to have this support.”
“We are forever grateful for your help and support. You have no idea how much we appreciate everything you have done. You are all simply amazing.”
We have the honour of hearing our families tell us about the impact YANA has made in their lives.
We have the privilege of providing the support they need because of your monumental generosity.
We count our blessings, and we are so grateful to count on you. The YANA community is exceptional, and it’s your dedication that makes it so. From the bottom of our very full hearts, we extend our deepest appreciation to every single YANA supporter far and wide.
The 2024 YANA Big Love Benefit was held on Friday, February 23rd in-person at the Florence Filberg Center, and by livestream broadcast. As we start the countdown to Friday, February 28, 2025, please enjoy the photos of this year’s spectacular event by Vanisle Drone Photo and Film!
Please enjoy these feature videos of our incredibly generous Donation Matching Sponsor Brian McLean Chevrolet Buick GMC and Champion Sponsors Coastal Transportation & Storage (CTS), Forbidden Mechanical, IG Wealth Management, Jamie Edwards PREC, MNP LLP, Mosaic Forest Management, Robbins & Company, and Waypoint Insurance. We also invite you to watch McKinnon Photography’s moving presentation featuring one brave YANA family, and the Big Love 2024 event video by Kayla McDonald Video. Scroll through the gallery above to see some of Vanisle Drone Photo and Film’s shots from this special evening and see more pictures here.
This event truly celebrates the uniqueness of our community, one that embraces and cares for its families when it’s needed most, letting them know that they are not alone. The support made available through YANA’s programs would not be possible without the enormous generosity of each sponsor, donor, and supporter who champion this night to make it a huge success. Thank you all for your Big Love!
Looking Back
2023
The 2023 YANA Big Love Benefit surpassed all expectations, raising an astounding $205,000 for YANA families!
We were speechless, teary-eyed, and beyond grateful to all our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and supporters who made this event such a success.
Big, huge, GARGANTUAN LOVE to every single YANA supporter far and wide!
Please enjoy these feature videos of our incredibly generous Donation Matching Sponsor Brian McLean Chevrolet Buick GMC and Champion Sponsors Coastal Transportation & Storage (CTS), Forbidden Mechanical, IG Wealth Management, Jamie Edwards PREC, MNP LLP, Mosaic Forest Management, Robbins & Company, and Shoreline Orthodontics. We also invite you to watch McKinnon Photography’s moving presentation featuring two brave YANA families, and the Big Love 2023 event video by Kayla McDonald Video. Scroll through the gallery below to see some of Morgan North Photography’s shots from this special evening and see more pictures here.
2022
We counted once, we counted twice, we even counted a few more times after that because we could hardly believe our eyes, because Comox Valley, we’ve done it again!
Together we raised over and above last year’s shocking grand total, with the final total for the 2022 Big Love Benefit coming in at a whopping $186,000!!
We are in awe, we are grateful, and we are certain all over again of what kind of community it is that we live in: a community that overcomes all obstacles, a community that loves beyond what is required, a community that always, always shows up.
The support YANA provides families would simply not be possible without each and every single sponsor, donor, volunteer, raffle-ticket purchaser, auction bidder, and supporter of this important event. Thank you, from the bottom of our very full hearts.
Take a look back at the feature videos of our incredibly generous Donation Matching Sponsor Brian McLean Chevrolet Buick GMC and Champion Sponsors Coastal Transportation & Storage (CTS), Forbidden Mechanical, IG Wealth Management, Jamie Edwards PREC, MNP LLP, Mosaic Forest Management, Robbins & Company, and Shoreline Orthodontics as well as a moving presentation by McKinnon Photography’ featuring one of the courageous YANA families this community has wrapped their net of support around.
2021
“Donations will be down significantly from last year”, they said.
“Expect to raise about half of what you would with the ‘normal’ event”, they said.
“Sponsors and volunteers probably can’t help as much as they have in the past”, they said.
Friends, THEY did not realize how very extraordinary this community of YANA supporters truly is! In 2021, together in a whole new way during the COVID-19 global pandemic, we raised $175,000 for Comox Valley children and their families.
Enjoy a look back at Jabin Postal Films’ feature videos of our incredibly generous Donation Matching Sponsor Brian McLean Chevrolet Buick GMC and Champion Sponsors Coastal Transportation & Storage (CTS), IG Wealth Management, Jamie Edwards PREC, MNP LLP, Mosaic Forest Management, Robbins & Company, Robert A Couture, and Shoreline Orthodontics as well as McKinnon Photography’s beautifully touching photo presentation of one of the treasured YANA families our community stood together to support.
2020
On every great team, each player puts their hand in for the cheer, and voices rise together to shout their rally cry. Each person in the circle knows if they play their role selflessly, with passion and determination, the result will be a source of huge pride for everyone involved. And so it is with the 2020 YANA Big Love Benefit! Thank you to every sponsor, donor, attendee, volunteer and supporter who put their hands in and raised a record-breaking $166,000 at this magical event. This was a big BIG win for YANA families in our community!
Thank you Ali Roddam Photography for the gorgeous images below capturing the electricity of the night, Jabin Postal Films for the beautiful video allowing everyone to see exactly what the Big Love surrounding YANA means to our community, and Karen at McKinnon Photography for sharing the touching story of one of the beautiful YANA families we all come together to support.
2019
The electricity, the magic, and the generosity surrounding the 2019 Big Love Benefit was astounding. YANA supporters throughout the Comox Valley and beyond showed their fierce community spirit coming together to raise an incredible $158,000! Heaps of big love to everyone that had a hand in this record-breaking year! View Karen McKinnon’s 2019 video presentation here. Enjoy photos of the evening by Ali Roddam below!
2018
What a night! We are thrilled to announce a record-breaking net fundraising total of $122,000! Sponsors, donors, volunteers, guests and online auction shoppers showed their big, big love for YANA families in connection with our February 23rd Big Love Benefit. Sincere thanks to all contributors! Our hearts are full!
2017
We are deeply grateful for the love and community spirit surrounding our annual gala event. Thank you to all contributors! Together, we raised $91,000 for local children and families. Check out some snapshots from the evening.
2016
The love shared at the 2016 Big Love Benefit was big indeed and we are incredibly grateful for everyone’s contribution. Thank you to all guests, volunteers, donors and sponsors. Have a peek at some of the photographs provided by McKinnon Photography.
2015
We are thrilled to announce that the 2015 YANA Dinner & Auction was a huge success! We appreciate everyone’s contribution. Our community really came together to make this happen and to show support for YANA. Thank you to guests, volunteers, donors, and sponsors. It was an amazing night! Scroll through the gallery below to see some of Ron Pogue’s photographs from this special evening and see more pictures here.
2014
Photographer Ron Pogue captured the magic of our 2014 YANA Dinner & Auction. Scroll through the gallery below to see some of the images from the event and see more pictures here.
