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 Hi, my name is Kate-Lynn!
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 Less than 30 days before their wedding, my dear friends Krysten and Brandan were blindsided by every soon-to-be-married couple's worst nightmare, and I'm asking for your help to get them through it.
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 Krysten and Brandan were set to marry on September 12th at a beloved camp venue, a place chosen for deeply personal reasons. Krysten lost her mother at a young age and spent summers at this camp afterward, where it became a source of comfort and cherished memories during such a difficult time in her life. September 12th is also her late mother's birthday. Getting married at the camp, on that date, was Krysten's way of feeling close to her mom on her wedding day, and a way for Brandan to feel that connection too. Krysten even had a personal relationship with the camp's owners from her years there, which made what happened to them feel like a complete betrayal.
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 Just weeks before their wedding, the couple learned from outside vendors that their venue could no longer host their event due to the lack of proper permits. What followed was a whirlwind of uncertainty, unanswered questions, emails and calls, and conflicting information. With vendors withdrawing services and no clear path forward from the camp owners, Krysten and Brandan were forced to find an entirely new venue in less than a month.
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 After countless attempts to reach out to the owners, Krysten reached out to the owner's father who responded and informed Krysten that the business is facing bankruptcy meaning the $18,000 they already paid will never be returned. They're not alone: 5–6 other brides are facing the exact same loss, with no accountability or answers from the owners.
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 Krysten and Brandan are two of the hardest-working people I know. They paid for this wedding themselves and had also saved for their honeymoon. Now, the money set aside for that honeymoon has gone toward securing a new venue on short notice, just so their wedding can still happen. After a year and a half of planning their dream wedding, what should be a joyful weekend of new memories and the start of their life together has instead been overshadowed by stress, heartbreak, and financial loss.
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 I started this fundraiser to help Krysten and Brandan recover some of what they lost, help cover some of the new costs of their replanned wedding, and hopefully, still let them have the honeymoon they've worked so hard for, and deserve.
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 Any amount helps. They will never see their $18,000 again, and it breaks my heart to watch two people who deserve so much joy right now have to fight this hard just to get married.
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 Thank you for reading their story, and for anything you're able to give.
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 Warm Regards,
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 Kate-Lynn
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Help Krysten & Brandan Save Their Wedding

<div>UPDATE: My Dad and mom are truly overwhelmed by the beautiful outpouring of love and support. They're still taking time to let this all sink in, and they're so appreciative. It was a steady stream of people stopping by the house yesterday. To everyone who shared this, donated a dollar, stopped by my parents place, given them a call, or shared special memories - I personally can't thank everyone enough.
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<div>My parents have gotten new windows installed and are almost done replacing the insulation and siding thanks to your generous donations. Next will be the grand task of cleaning wreckage and starting to rebuild!
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<div>Hi, I'm Shayla!
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<div>Anyone who knows my dad, Wyatt Bond, knows that cars are not just a hobby to him. They are his love language, his identity, and the backdrop to almost every memory I have of him.
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<div>He has been racing since before it was probably legal for him to drive. He founded Bond Family Racing with his brother Warren when they were just teenagers, and racing has been part of our family ever since. I basically grew up at the Scotia Speedworld racetrack, and every photo I have of my dad seems to include a car somewhere in it. The majority of our family vacations were to racing destinations. His world revolves around cars!
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<div>My dad has been a mechanic in Kentville, Nova Scotia for over 40 years. His garage was where he worked, welded, painted, restored cars, fixed whatever needed fixing, and kept people moving. But anyone who spent time there knows it was never just a garage, it was truly a local watering hole.
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<div>It was the place people stopped by to hang out, borrow a tool, ask a question, get help with a vehicle, or just be around someone who always (ALWAYS) has a story to tell. My dad is famously known for talking your ear off, and somehow the wildest stories always turn out to be true.
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<div>He has always helped people, often for free or for far less than he should have charged. He let people pay when they could. He let people use his tools and his space, and over the years, there were often young people hanging around the garage, learning to work on cars, staying busy, and most importantly, staying out of trouble.
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<div><strong>That is who my dad is.</strong>
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<div>He is the kind of person who made us late everywhere when I was a kid because he stopped to help someone with a flat tire on the side of the road, or collect some stray animal. He is the kind of person who invited people we didn’t know to holiday dinners because they didn’t have anywhere else to go. You night recognize him as a fixture at Walmart and Dollarama (the guy who looks time warped from the 70s), where he knows the employees, helps unbox Hot Wheels, and lights up at the chance of finding a treasure hunt.
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<div>After retiring from racing because of a back injury, his love of cars never slowed down. He built one of the biggest Hot Wheels collections in Nova Scotia, and what <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeoTlOOQwAw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">he loves most is sharing that joy with other peopl</a>. If I told him one of my friends’ kids liked Hot Wheels, he would send them a massive box full of them.
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<div>For years, my dad also used his love of racing to give back. He and his racing team donated proceeds to The Lodge That Gives for Cancer after my grandmother stayed there during her treatment. (<a href="https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/aldershot-auto-racer-team-use-passion-for-the-track-to-help-support-lodge-that-gives-221333" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">See news coverage</a>). That is my dad - if something matters to him, he finds a way to help.
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<div><strong>On Thursday, June 25, at around 12 a.m., a fire started at the front of his garage. Within an hour, it had engulfed the building while fire fighters worked all night to put it out. The entire garage was lost.</strong>
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<div><strong>It was a large garage with an inspection ditch, a paint bay and upstairs storage. Inside were the tools he had collected over a lifetime, his welding equipment, painting equipment, mechanic tools, parts, materials, and the workspace he depended on to earn income. </strong>
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<div><strong>The heat from the fire also damaged our family home (which thankfully was saved). The siding, which my parents had only recently been able to redo, was melted, and the back windows cracked from the heat. Unfortunately, my parents do not have home insurance, so there is no insurance coverage to help repair the damage to their home or replace what was lost in the garage.</strong>
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<div>Miraculously, one thing survived: his prized Capri roadster named Radical, the car he built as a teenager and one of his most meaningful possessions. Everything else in the garage was gone.
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<div>And because I know the people who know him will ask: no Hot Wheels were harmed in the fire. They are safely stored inside the house!
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<div>He is one of the most dependable people I know. He would pick me up at 2 a.m. without hesitation. He would show up in an emergency. He would help anyone who needed him. Likely the only bad thing I may have learned from him is his stubbornness and his inability to ask for help! And that is why I am asking for him.
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<div>My dad would never ask for a dime on his own. He barely agreed to let me make this page. So that is why my brother and I am setting this up because I know there are people who love him, people he has helped, people who have sat in that garage, people who have been part of the racing community with him, and people who know what he has given to others over the years.
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<div>Without knowing the cost yet, we are hoping to raise enough to at least help replace the damaged siding and cracked windows on my parents’ home, replace basic tools so my dad can start helping others again, and, if possible, put a bit towards rebuilding something small and humble where he can get back to doing what he loves.
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<div>I know times are hard for many people right now. Truly, anything helps whether its simply words of encouragement, tools, hands on help, even $5 goes a long way.
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<div>If my dad has ever helped you change a tire, fixed something when you needed it, talked your ear off (mostly this), sent Hot Wheels to your kids, welcomed you into the garage, or made you feel like part of the family, this is a chance to give a little of that care back to him.
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<div>Thank you for helping support a man who has spent his life showing up for everyone else.
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<div>With love and much gratittude,
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<div>Shayla, Wyatt’s daughter
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Help Rebuild Wyatt's Garage After Devastating Fire

<div>In August, six-month-old Éloïse was admitted to the hospital after days of vomiting and not acting like herself. A CT scan revealed a large brain tumour (an Ependymoma), and she was rushed to SickKids by helicopter. She underwent a 9-hour surgery that resulted in a complete tumour removal. After a week in the PICU and six weeks on the Oncology Unit, she completed two rounds of chemotherapy and recovered well from a minor follow-up surgery for an infection.
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<div>Just before Thanksgiving, Éloïse was discharged and has been home recovering—hitting her cognitive milestones and making wonderful physical progress: sitting independently, rolling with help, trying solids (she loves steak!), and drinking from her bottle again.
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<div>Most recently, her MRI came back clear, giving her family and medical team immense relief. In the new year, Éloïse and her family will travel to Jacksonville, Florida, for a specialized form of radiation therapy that offers excellent outcomes with minimal side effects, but because there is no Proton Centre in Canada, the family must cover relocation, housing, and living costs out-of-pocket in USD for 6–8 weeks.
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<div>This fundraiser will help ease the financial burden so Katie and David can focus entirely on Éloïse’s recovery, ensure Romain has a positive experience while away from home, and reduce the need to work during treatment.
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<div>We all love this family and want the very best for sweet Éloïse. She has amazed us with her resilience, and we know she’ll continue to show her incredible strength. Team Éloïse!
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Team Eloïse: Support her journey to radiation & recovery

<div>My brother-in-law and sister-in-law experienced an unexpected accident at their home. While they were away, their dog accidentally turned on the stove, causing a pan with beef tallow in it to burn and fill the entire house with smoke and soot. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the smoke spread quickly, leaving extensive damage throughout the home.

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<div>Every piece of clothing, bedding, and fabric now needs to be professionally cleaned. All of their food had to be thrown away, and their mattresses, couches, and soft furniture will need to be replaced. The entire home will also require new paint, flooring, and deep cleaning before it’s livable again.

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<div>While insurance will hopefully cover some of the damage, they don’t yet know what will be covered or when. In the meantime, they’re facing immediate expenses for food, clothing, toiletries, bedding, and other essentials just to get through the coming weeks.

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<div>They do have a safe place to stay for now, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty ahead. Any amount helps ease the burden as they begin to rebuild and replace what was lost. Your kindness and support mean more than you know. 

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Support for Family After Smoke Damage To Home

<div>On the afternoon of February 24th 2022, our dear friend Blake Pridham was driving to Rossland, BC from his home in Vancouver for a ski week with his brothers and friends when he hit a patch of black ice on Highway 3. His car fish-tailed and was struck by an oncoming vehicle. Thankfully, Blake’s two passengers received minor injuries but Blake had to be airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital where he is currently in a coma with extensive brain trauma.
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<div>Blake’s friends and family, including his partner Mallie, are devastated and remain cautiously optimistic about his recovery while they wait in Kelowna for him to wake from his coma. While it is unknown how long it may take for this to happen, the road to recovery will be a long one.
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<div>Applications for stress and disability leave for Mallie and Blake have been submitted. While they wait for these financial supports to take effect, they will need help with living expenses such as rent, utilities, insurance, food, transportation and other discretionary costs in both Kelowna and their home in Vancouver. Mallie, who is a Registered Nurse, will be taking time from work to care for Blake. We have set the goal at $40,000 and will update everyone as the situation progre<span style="font-size:1.0625rem;">sses and we have a better idea of actual costs.</span>
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<div>Blake’s family and friends are extremely appreciative of any and all support you are able to offer during this horrific time.
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Monkman Family

Monkman Family

Featured causes

Help Krysten & Brandan Save Their Wedding

Help Rebuild Wyatt's Garage After Devastating Fire

Team Eloïse: Support her journey to radiation & recovery

Support for Family After Smoke Damage To Home

Blake's Accident Fund

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