SOY Bowlathon 2022

WE'RE BACK! Join us SATURDAY OCTOBER 22 at THE BALLROOM (145 John St) for a fun afternoon of bowling, entertainment, food, and fantastic prizes all in support of 2SLGBTQ youth.

Story

UPDATE

The 2022 SOY Bowlathon was a huge success and we want to thank everyone who came out to roll with us and to those who generously gave and raised funds to support 2SLGBTQ youth in our community. It was a blast to share the lanes with so many people who care about SOY. Click here to see pics from the event.

A special thank you to our generous sponsors who made this year's Bowlathon such a huge success.

OUR EVENT

The highly anticipated annual Bowlathon, our largest fundraiser for Supporting Our Youth (SOY), is back after almost 3 years! This event raises vital funds for SOY, an innovative and award-winning community development program that opens up opportunities and pathways to health and wellness by addressing the complex needs of 2SLGBTQ youth aged 14-29.

On Saturday October 22, our community of youth, volunteers, mentors, donors, workplace teams, community partners, and allies will come together to raise $40,000 in funds for the SOY program. The event will take place at The Ballroom in downtown Toronto where over 120 participants will enjoy 10 pin bowling, sensational awards and prizes, entertainment, a fundraising draw, and buffet lunch. Teams of up to 8 bowlers aim to raise $1,500 as a team and each individual bowler has their own online fundraising page where family and friends can donate.

This year we have five fantastic raffle prizes which include travel vouchers, a signed jersey, and a gift basket of chocolates.

And, as always, we have some amazing prizes and awards for event attendees that have been generously donated by Lush Cosmetics, Inside Out, Australian Boot Company, Kula Yoga Annex, Hot Docs, Sweaty Betty's, Longo's, Craig's Cookies, and more!

REGISTER NOW

Join us for this high-energy, fun-filled afternoon on the lanes in support of 2SLGBTQ youth in our community! Create your personalized giving page and register as an individual player, as a team, or join an already existing team. Whichever way you play, you're Supporting Our Youth!

ABOUT SOY

As a program of Sherbourne Health, Supporting Our Youth (SOY) is an innovative and award-winning community development program offering holistic support and diverse services to address the complex needs of 2SLGBTQ youth 29 years old and under. Through SOY, 2SLGBTQ youth are provided with mental health and wellness programming, goal planning, meals, skills development, housing supports and much more. SOY creates opportunities for youth to build resilience and confidence in a safe, inclusive and nurturing space that helps to reduce isolation, improve mental health, and help them grow skills to take into their adult lives.

Please help us raise critical funds for these 2SLGBTQ youth by asking your friends and family to sponsor you or your team.

"The SOY program was a springboard for me to get on my feet in the big city of Toronto! Moving here as a queer and trans teenager on the run from an abusive and transphobic home environment, attending the SOY program when I got into Toronto helped me find community and support. I was able to access health care services, get fed regularly, and learn about issues relevant to the LGBTQ+ community. Now a university student, activist, and member of SOY's Speaker's Bureau, I am sure that the relationships, support, and skills I gained through SOY are what helped put me on a positive and healing path." - Markus, SOY participant

Sherbourne and SOY has definitely changed my life for the better. It has changed me because they have provided food, tokens, support, and recreation and in a time of stress. For times of stress for trans newcomer youth, like myself, it is very important to come (to SOY) and to forget about the stresses of life or to have someone hear them out and provide guidance, and ease the stress, or to give hope." - SOY participant (name withheld by request)