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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 2, 2016 | 18 Oakville festival fundraising for POSSE Project by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff An Oakville woman is organizing a festival of fun, food and music to remember three friends who died and to raise awareness of mental health and addiction issues within the local community. Vanessa Rago will hold the special party at the Church of the Incarnation on June 18 from 3-8 p.m. The family-friendly event, which will feature live music, food vendors, a silent auction, carnival games, magicians and more, is being held to raise money for Halton's POSSE Project. The Peer Outreach Support Services and Education (POSSE) Project is a free harm reduction and human rights initiative, run by youths for youths between the ages of 15-24 living in Halton. The fundraiser has a goal of raising between $6,000-$7,000. "First and foremost, this is a celebration of life. It's about people getting together and having fun with their friends because they can," said Rago. "I also want to raise awareness and raise some money. Awareness is probably more important because mental health issues and addiction is a serious problem here in Oakville." This will be the second event of this kind Rago has organized. The Conestoga College advertising student and her friend, Peter Drozdiuk, started A June 18 family-friendly fundraiser will support the Peer Outreach Support Services and Education (POSSE) Project. | courtesy Posse Project brainstorming the first event following the death of their mutual friend Jacob VandeCamp, 19, on Aug. 1, 2014. The planning for that event was put on hold while Rago visited Europe in April 2015. It was during this trip she got word Drozdiuk, 19, had also died. Rago ultimately went forward with the event she and Drozdiuk had talked about. On Aug. 1, 2015, the first anniversary of VandeCamp's death, she succeeded in raising $3,600 for the Oakville Reach Out Centre for Kids' (ROCK) Positive Space Network. The organization of community social service agencies and local businesses works to create safe and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ populations. Rago continued to process the loss of her two friends and prepare for this year's event, when she learned her friend Lilly Demelo, 20, died in April. All three young people had called Oakville their home. "It is a bit numbing at times. When Jacob passed away it was the most intense experience ever. It was like a shot and I was a mess. I was in the midst of processing that when Peter passed away. Lilly was the one who told me. I was in Europe trying to clear my head from Jacob, so it was confusing," said Rago. "Then Lilly passed away and it was almost angering. Like, enough of this. What is so wrong here that we are losing these young people, that parents are having to bury their children?" She described her friend VandeCamp as "a tall cuddly giant bear" who wore shirts with adorable cats and dogs on them. Rago said he was very intelligent with a deep interest in computers, chemistry and travel. She said she remembers Drozdiuk for his wit and for how he would ride a unicycle and wear a fedora hat, even in elementary school. He loved dancing and because of his funloving nature, he could get away with things no one else could, like microwaving a friend's cell phone into oblivion on one occasion. Demelo, said Rago, was interested in other cultures, loved concerts and dying her hair different colours. "She was really in your face and forward, but really lovable," said Rago. "She had a way of making you feel good even if she didn't feel good.... They all did." Rago is hoping by holding these fundraising events, people will be able to get the help they need. Admission to the fundraiser costs $10. Kids aged five and under enter for free. The Church of the Incarnation is located at 1240 Old Abbey Lane. For more information about the POSSE Project, visit www.posseproject.ca. "Addiction and mental health issues are significant problems here in Oakville. People kind of turn a blind eye to it because of our town's beauty and calm nature, but in high school, I knew so many addicts," said Rago. "People I know who are in their mid-20s now who dabbled in drugs in high school are now getting more heavily influenced by these drugs and really developing issues. A lot of people are naïve to this." Rago said the problem also has the potential of getting worse with the arrival of more powerful drugs. United Way Oakville Invites You to Attend its 2016 Annual General Meeting of Members Mon. June 20, 2016 | 6 PM Reception | 6:30 PM Meeting Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Members (the "Meeting") of United Way of Oakville ("UWO") will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn (2774 South Sheridan Way, Oakville, Ontario) on Monday, June 20, 2016 at 6:30 PM (EDT) for the following purposes: · · · · · · · To give a full and complete report of its activities for the preceding year; To receive the audited consolidated financial statements of UWO for the year ended March 31, 2016; To appoint BDO Canada as auditors of UWO for the ensuing year; To elect directors for the ensuing term; To receive and approve the minutes of the prior Annual General Meeting; To vote on an amalgamation between United Ways Oakville, Burlington & Greater Hamilton, Milton and Halton Hills To transact other such business as may properly come before the Meeting. O Thursdays 1:00 ­ 6:30 pm P E Saturdays 10:30 am ­ 1:30 pm N Sundays 10:00 am ­ 12:00 pm Homemade Ukrainian Food terrace take-away all prepared and easy to warm up Members who are unable to attend the Meeting but who wish to participate in the voting are requested to complete, date, sign and return a form of proxy, which may be obtained from Tara Neal (tara@uwoakville.org). UWO requests that proxies to be used/acted upon at the Meeting be deposited at its head office (466 Speers Road, Oakville) by 6:30 PM (EDT), Friday, June 17, 2016. Please RSVP by Monday, June 13, 2016 to tara@uwoakville.org 905.337.1400 ext. 116 orders@terracetakeaway.ca cafe@sjucc.ca www.terracetakeaway.ca St. Joseph's Ukrainian Catholic Church 300 River Oaks Blvd. East (at Trafalgar) Oakville ON