LangleyAdvance
Bureau
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Your community newspaper since 1931
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Your source for local sports, news, weather, and entertainment: www.langleyadvance.com
Audited circulation: 41,100 – 24 pages
Youth
We Buy
Amy honoured through scholarships
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A gala will raise money to further the education of six at-risk youths in Langley. by Adrian MacNair news@langleyadvance.com
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Joanne Chiasson doesn’t want Langley kids to slip through the cracks of the education system the way her daughter Amy did. Amy passed away suddenly, at the age of 22, almost two years ago. That’s why Chiasson is putting together the Amy Langelaan memorial scholarship fundraiser on New Year’s Eve, to raise enough money to send six at-risk youth to post-secondary school. Chiasson said the scholarships are for kids who don’t fit the regular school system, but persevere in alternative schools like Cloverdale Learning Centre or Apex Secondary in Langley, both of which Amy attended. Amy was always a tomboy growing up, her mother said. Openly gay, she had to contend with being different from others. She dressed like a boy and was friends with all the boys. “She had to show how strong Joanne Chiasson wants to help a person she was when she young people avoid the turmoil joined an all-boys football league her daughter Amy experienced. here in Langley,” Chiasson said Adrian MacNair/Langley Advance about Amy’s decision to join the Langley Panthers in 1999. It showed how determined she was to prove herself. but because she was small, she Amy was diagnosed with would get hurt a lot, her mother Attention Deficit Disorder dursaid. ing a time when teachers didn’t Losing those jobs led Amy to quite understand how to deal hang out with the wrong crowd, with it. That meant there were and Chiasson wants to prevent many missed opportunities, so Chiasson said she had to step up that from happening to others. Chiasson got a phone call at as an advocate for Amy. Now she wants to advocate for 3 a.m. on the day of her daughter’s death. Amy asked her to kids like Amy. drive a friend who had had a bit “In today’s society there’s so too much to drink. She kissed much out there for Amy on the forekids to be tempted head and told her by, whether it’s “I need to she loved her. drugs or alcohol,” ensure that Though she she said. “[Amy] never saw her alive she’s never always thought again, Chiasson that I should be a forgotten.” feels as though she counsellor for kids had a chance to say Joanne Chiasson like her. So I feel goodbye. that this is a way Chiasson said to show her the councillors and due respect that she deserved support groups didn’t work for and help other kids to educate her in the aftermath of Amy’s themselves – to not be in the death, ruled a suicide. situation that she was.” “Every time, we constantly Amy’s father passed away relive and rehash everything,” just before she graduated from Cloverdale Learning in 2006. She she said. “Your brain actually thinks it’s reliving the event over struggled to find her way in the and over again, and you never working world, because she had give yourself time to heal.” no training or education beyond Instead, she finds healing by high school. trying to leave a positive legacy She welded, did carpentry, for Amy: “I need to ensure that and worked in warehouses,
she’s never forgotten.” “Well, I’ll tell you, those kids The memorial fund’s first still remember that today.” scholarship recipient has just Now Chiasson is focused on started studies at Kwantlen scholarships for students from Polytechnic University, to Apex Secondary. Students must become a music teacher. be registered at a post-secondary Chiasson said it makes her feel school and paid their tuition, so good inside to help someone do they can be reimbursed. something positive. The Valley Women’s Network Philanthropy is nothing new of Langley has helped with to Chiasson and her family. She much of the fundraising, offering was helping with a Rotary Mardi door prizes, silent auctions, and Gras fundraiser to commemorbuying and selling tickets to the ate Frank Langelaan’s (Amy’s New Year’s Eve gala. father) contributions to Langley The Gangster’s Gala is taking Lodge, when Amy suddenly place at the newly renovated passed. Sunrise Golf and Racquet Club The devastating loss almost on Hwy 10 and 184th Street had Chiasson canon Dec. 31. Doors cel her plans: “All open at 8 p.m. “All of a sudden of a sudden it was to the theme of a it was in in memory of both 1920s speakeasy. of them.” People can dance memory of both A single mother to the band, Heist, of them.” for 14 years, which played at the Chiasson often Olympic Village durJoanne Chiasson held dinner ing the 2010 Games. fundraisers, with Tickets can be proceeds to a charity, and that purchased for $89 in advance would be her Christmas present – at Hallowville Manor, Mi Casa, for her daughters. or The Manor on Grover Road – “We’d make a big fancy dinner or $99 at the door. The Ramada for friends and family, climb into Inn is partnering with Sunrise the car after dinner, and go on a Golf Course to offer a $25 taxi Christmas lights tour,” she said. voucher and a room for $99.