Charitable organization Hailey’s Way brought Gimli and area youth together last Saturday for a free fun-filled night of movie-watching, dancing, photo shoots and crafts, plus a whole lot of bonding.
Organized by the charity’s two youth board members, the engaging event in the Gimli High School gym featured the 2023 documentary musical Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, in which Swift performs her hit songs.
Freyja Robak, who’s in Grade 11, was invited to sit on Hailey’s Way board as a youth representative along with Taylor Smith, who’s in Grade 10. The two students took on the challenge of planning and organizing the event, as well as overseeing some of the financial management duties.
And it was a success with a good turnout.
“Seeing all the kids having fun and being able to connect with each other stood out for me. They were all wanting to see Taylor Swift and they bonded over that. Seeing them enjoying that, having fun together and singing the songs – that made me happy,” said Robak. “If I would have had this opportunity as a kid, I would have loved it. I think it was amazing to see them all have so much fun.”
Hailey’s Way Inc. is a charitable organization founded in 2022 by Dana DesRoches as a legacy to her 20-year-old daughter Hailey Dugay, who was shot and killed in 2018 during a night out with her friends in Fraserwood, west of Gimli. The organization’s mission is to create a safe and supervised environment for youth, fund youth programs in the Interlake, and encourage growth and positive self-esteem in youth. Having youth members sit on its board provides valuable insight into how to engage kids.
Robak and Smith set up a movie theatre with a huge screen and chairs in one section of the gym and made a dance floor in another area. They also brought in a photo booth with a life-sized cardboard cutout of Swift and a table where merchandise could be purchased. The proceeds covered the costs of staging the event, and any remaining monies will be put towards future events.
“We sold popcorn, food and candy bags and we set up a merchandise table where we sold Taylor Swift tickets, [wash-off] tattoos and heart-shaped sunglasses, which are a big thing with Taylor Swift,” said Robak. “And we also sold friendship bracelets. Some were pre-made and some came in kits with beads and letters that the kids could use to make their own bracelet.”
The idea of having a Taylor Swift-themed event for youth was initially broached in September, said Robak, and the board tasked her and Smith to put it all together.
“It took a lot of planning, but we worked together on it. We made a budget for the food and for the activities,” said Robak. “It was a really good learning experience and I’m grateful to have this opportunity.”
Hailey’s Way will be holding future events, she added. Those will be discussed at the next board meeting.
In the meantime, the charity will be holding a 50/50 draw at the upcoming Icelandic Festival in August.
Robak said for their first event, they had a good-sized turnout, but they’re hoping in future to engage even more youth.
The charity is currently fundraising for a youth centre in Gimli, which will be called the Gimli Youth Hub.
For more information about the charity and making donations, visit haileysway.com or call (204) 641-4939. Email: info@haileysway.com
