The Ultimate SOY Bowlathon Surpasses Goal, Fundraises Over $47,600 for 2SLGBTQ Youth
On Saturday, October 21, families, friends, and colleagues packed the lanes for a beloved annual tradition from Supporting Our Youth (SOY), one final time.
The SOY Ultimate Bowlathon brought together more than 80 attendees to The Ballroom for an exciting afternoon of bowling, fabulous prizes, and fun, as well as celebrating precious memories and the legacy of 2SLGBTQ community excellence. Thanks to their outstanding efforts, as well as tremendous contributions from sponsors and over 400 supporters, this year’s SOY Ultimate Bowlathon exceeded its original goal by 119% and raised over $47,600 for vital youth programming!
For more photos from the Ultimate SOY Bowlathon, visit our event album.
Since 1998, SOY has been a beacon and lifeline for 2SLGBTQ youth in our community, offering supports for mental health, employment, housing, and food security. The SOY Bowlathon has been an opportunity for so many of us to make wonderful memories of dressing up, knocking down pins with loved ones, and raising funds that ensure 2SLGBTQ youth have access to meals, transit fare costs, group drop-in expenses, and much more.
Watch: a video tribute celebrating two decades of the Bowlathon. Story continues below.
Over two decades, it has raised over $1 million and made a positive impact in the lives of many, including a group of former SOY participants who reunited to give back to the programs that helped them as young newcomers.
Beyond its fundraising impact, the event has been a continuing, visible testament to community care: the Bowlathon showed 2SLGBTQ youth that people across Toronto care about them, profoundly, and were willing to rally their communities and networks to keep youth connected to life-changing services.
As we celebrate the Bowlathon’s achievements and the legacy of SOY’s 25 years, we also look forward to what comes next: a new event that will be reinvigorate our fundraising efforts, offers more physical accessibility, and has more opportunities for community participation. We hope you join us for this next chapter of SOY!
Haven’t had a chance to contribute yet? The JustGiving page will be available until Wednesday, November 1.
Supporting Our Youth and Sherbourne Health give thanks to the Ultimate SOY Bowlathon’s event and prize sponsors. The Bowlathon’s success would not be possible without you.