A Port Coquitlam-based charity that’s named after the late Amanda Todd hopes to swing in $30,000 at its first annual golf tournament.
The inaugural Amanda Todd Legacy Golf Tournament will be held on Thursday, May 22, at the Meadow Gardens Golf Club in Pitt Meadows — a shotgun start at 1 p.m. that will be followed by a dinner for participants and the non-profit’s supporters.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Foundry Tri-Cities, an organization that helps teens and young people with health and wellness, as well as other community projects and financial aid for youth and families in need of counselling help.
“We are hosting a golf charity event for the Amanda Todd foundation because we believe in supporting the important work they do in raising awareness about bullying, mental health and cyber safety,” organizer Shelly Fennell said. “Amanda's story resonates deeply with many and, by organizing this event, we hope to contribute to the foundation's mission of providing education and resources to prevent similar tragedies.”
“Additionally, the event allows us to bring the community together in a fun and meaningful way while also raising crucial funds that can help support those who need it the most,” Fennell said.
Amanda Todd was 15 when she took her life after years of being harassed online by Aydin Coban. In 2022, the Dutch national was sentenced to 13 years behind bars; last month, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld the sentence conversion to six years in jail.
Last fall, on World Mental Health Day, Carol Todd and 10 other parents in Canada and the U.S. whose children were cyberbullied and extorted online, and died as a result of the abuse, filed a lawsuit against Meta — which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads — plus TikTok, YouTube, Google, Snap and Discord for, what the parents claim, has enabled sextortion of youth through its digital platforms.
Fennell told the Tri-City News that she met Amanda Todd’s mother, Carol, an educator in School District 43 (SD43), a few years back and “I was astounded by her passion and courage when sharing her daughter’s story.”
“Every day, young people are bombarded by messages, images and information online and from their peers. Sadly, so many of them are not equipped with the skills or education to navigate these scenarios.”
For the golf fundraiser, there will be teams of four players; participants who register individually will be added to a team.
Ex-Global BC traffic anchor Kaitlyn Herbst and Johnny DeFazio, formerly with the Great Canadian Casino, are attending while Good Dog, The Arms Pub and financial planer Ally Janmohamed are sponsoring the spring tournament.
Can you help? Corporate sponsorship and auction prizes are needed for the first annual Amanda Todd Legacy Golf Tournament. Email [email protected]. For more information about the Amanda Todd Legacy Society, go to the charity’s website.
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