West Island Community Shares hands out $1.3 million in donations

The West Island Community Shares celebrated 20 years of helping out the community by giving out $1.3 million in donations to the organizations they serve.

The organization founded in 1998, supports a variety of charities on the West Island.

“It’s been 20 years and what a year this has been. Our goal was 1.3 million and we raised 45,000 more than that so we surpassed that,” said Leanne Bayer, executive director of West Island Community Shares.

To mark the anniversary and the end of their annual campaign, 40 charities were handed cheques between $10,000 and $60,000 each.

“I love the West Island, but there’s a side to it where we have friends, neighbours, family members who have needs and there are communities in the West Island that have higher rates of poverty than elsewhere,” said Bayer.

Three-hundred people came to John XXIII High School in Dorval for the event, including mother and cancer survivor Sarah Biardeau.

“They are loving people, it is really impressive,” Biardeau told Global News.

Biardeau gets help from Venturing Out Beyond Our Cancer (VOBOC). The organization provides young cancer patients with unique support.

They give out “ready for the hospital” backpacks in case there is a need for an emergency visit.

“We also grant last-minute requests for those at the end of their lives or in crisis, everything from a birthday, a wedding or an ambulance trip home to say goodbye to kids or pets. We provide magical moments at a desperate time,” said VOBOC founder Doreen Edward.

VOBOC also helps pay for young patients to go away on vacation with other people battling cancer. Biardeau who used to volunteer for charities, at first found it challenging to be on the receiving end of care; but she eventually had to let go and allow others to support her.

“It allowed me to take a break from the constant stress and it was such a relief, such a relief.”