A Victorian Christmas Handmade Market at Northgate Shopping Centre from November 29 to December 1 will donate half its proceeds to Cobalt attack victim Kaylie Smith says organizer Karrie Emms. The other half will go to youth programming.
It's being hosted by Gateway & Nick’s Place at Northgate Shopping Centre which Emms runs.
"Some of our youth who use the youth centre has family in Cobalt and I lived in New Liskeard when I was 17. This is our backyard. We hear stories daily of youth being subjected to bullying, violence, homelessness, and more," Emms told BayToday.
"We as a youth organization teach our youth to get involved and it sort of fell in place to support Kaylie and her family."
See: Putting on a brave face for Kaylie and demanding justice
Emms says she knows from experience that there will be a gap before help rolls in, and meeting the immediate need.
"I was in that position three years ago when I raced to my nephew's bedside in a Sudbury ICU prior to his death as a result of his stabbing here in North Bay.
See: Police lay murder charges in downtown knifing
"In the days directly following something like this, you may have funds rolling in but you don't want to leave your loved one's bedside for more than to grab a cup of coffee because you don't know if you will come back to an empty room. You pack up and go with the clothes on your back and not much more. Your only thought is to get to where your child or loved one is. I didn't want the family to have to think about going shopping or replacing things they needed so we collected donations and I had a good friend in Ottawa go and deliver items that the family needed."
As Emms continued to collect funds to send more items, local Conservative Candidate Cassidy Villneuve messaged to say she was in Ottawa and she did a delivery of items.
"Most of our youth knew something about the events and because I knew all too well what the family was going to face and because we just want to show our youth, even though you may feel like you can't make a difference, you can even in a small way. We have already donated $500 worth of goods."
Emms says she's had a few local companies come and say they want to help.
"When Kaylie's family is ready we will get that ball rolling. We have already submitted a grant application to the City of North Bay for an event in May that will directly tackle the issue of youth violence and we are going to do everything in our power with the right motivations to show every youth we come into contact with we are there for them. No matter what. No matter where. No matter when."
Gateway & Nick’s Place will continue working with Kaylie’s family and Print Three North Bay to develop a decal campaign and awareness initiative aimed at empowering youth and addressing safety in our community.
"As a centre we plan to be there for the long haul to work on ways to keep this from ever happening to another youth,” said Emms.
The holiday market offers a chance at seasonal shopping while supporting vital youth programs and assisting the family of Kaylie Smith. Over 30 local artisans will have products, with live entertainment, a children’s craft booth, a silent auction, and more,
Event Details:
- Friday, November 29: 10 AM - 8 PM
- Saturday, November 30: 10 AM - 6 PM
- Sunday, December 1: 11 AM - 5 PM
- Location: Former Garage Clothing Store, Northgate Shopping Centre
Market Highlights:
- Handmade Artisans & Vendors: Shop unique, handcrafted goods perfect for holiday gift-giving, created by talented local artisans.
- Tiny Tim’s Teeny Tiny Christmas Art Show: Participate in a silent auction of miniature artworks, with proceeds supporting both Gateway & Nick’s Place and the contributing artists.
- Children’s Craft Booth and Sucker Pull: Enjoy interactive activities and crafts for young visitors.
- Live Entertainment: Enjoy festive music and live performances, including Josh Dimmel and more local artists who will add a touch of holiday cheer throughout the weekend.
For more information or to inquire about vendor opportunities contact:
Gateway & Nick’s Place
karrie@gatewayandnicksplace.
www.gatewayandnicksplace.ca
