Sharing Kailynn's Sunshine, a non-profit organization dedicated to representing a young woman taken too soon, will be hosting an online silent auction next month to benefit a local organization.

It was a tragic day in Weyburn on August 16th, 2018, when the car driven by Kailynn Bursic-Panchuk was struck by a train. She passed away five days later, on August 22nd, which was just one day after her 17th birthday.

This year, on August 21st, she would have been 21 years old. For her 'champagne birthday' weekend, August 19th to 21st, her mother Sandra LaRose is bringing Kailynn's fundraiser back to Weyburn, where it all began in 2020.  

LaRose said last year, they raised funds for the Ronald McDonald House and for SCRAPS, the Cat Rescue in Moose Jaw.

"We wanted to bring it back to Weyburn and help out because that's where Kailynn went to school. That's where the accident happened," she explained. "That was my community for the longest time, working at the library and the Co-op, and the community just rallied behind me and supported me and continued to do so since Kailynn's accident." 

The organization receiving the funds this year will be Inclusion Weyburn.

"Inclusion Weyburn just does so much, and Kailynn was a very inclusive person," said LaRose. "She would accept anybody, find the good in anybody, and I said this over and over again. I said it in the eulogy at her funeral. I could not be more proud of the way Kailynn thought about people and just humankind in general." 

She said this is why they chose Inclusion Weyburn, the inclusive programming for which inspired Kailynn, as her best friend Hannah, a board member, worked with the Inclusion Weyburn summer day camps, held in conjunction with the City of Weyburn. 

"Kailynn loved the FIP group at the school. She had quite a few fans that would yell her name in in the hallways, and she loved them, and I think she's beaming with pride right now that we chose Inclusion Weyburn." 

LaRose said it's for a good reason that Kailynn's legacy is about spreading sunshine.

"I know I can talk to the moon and back about her, and how wonderful she was. But she truly was. She truly had a heart of gold, and would help anybody in need." 

The online auction will be run on Facebook via the group found HERE, from Friday, August 19th to Sunday, August 21st. 

"Businesses in Weyburn can reach out to us if they'd like to donate items," she encouraged. "We can't give the tax receipts for cash donations, but we will take cash donations in order to purchase items to put together. Or if you wish, we can take cash donations, and you can let us know that you want it to go directly to Inclusion Weyburn. Or you can donate directly to Inclusion Weyburn in memory of Kailynn." 

"If businesses wanted to reach out, they can find me on Facebook. They can message us on the Sharing Kailynn's Sunshine Facebook page, my own personal page, or they can e-mail us at info@sharingkailynnssunshine.ca and we would happy." 

With her home is in Tyvan, LaRose, who now works in Regina, said that one of the perks of being in Weyburn picking up auction items will be getting to visit with everyone along the way.

"The more donations we have, the more money we make, and it's such an easy thing to participate in. There's nothing too little, nothing too large. We have lots of small donations that we get. We put baskets together. We put items that would compliment each other together. Everybody gets a shout-out as to who donated. If you want to donate anonymously, you can let us know that when we mark it as an anonymous donation." 

"We thank everybody personally, with each lot that's posted on the auction page, all of our lots are posted all at once, and it's a live auction, so you know we have the rules posted, so we suggest you read the rules before you participate and it's a lot of fun. I mean, everybody likes to shop." 

"I get to come back to the community. I try to do as much going back to Weyburn that we can, with the limited things that we can really do."

Sharing Kailynn's Sunshine has a flower planter in the downtown core.

"Weyburn is a fantastic community and I can proudly say that I still feel a part of the community even though I'm not working there, and I know Kailynn loved it, and I know a lot of people maybe got to know her at Pharmasave. She was the one, always with a smile on her face and a joke to come out of her mouth."

The organization will hold its AGM in September.

"We're in all volunteer board, and we will be actually putting out a call for board members before our AGM in September, so we welcome any ideas. You don't have to be part of the board to be involved. We do volunteer wherever we can, and if anybody in Weyburn is holding an event and you need volunteers, feel free to reach out because Kailynn has got a huge circle of friends. And although most of them have probably gone away to university now. There's still quite a few in Weyburn, and Regina is not that far, so you know it gets our name out and it warms our hearts and that's what we're all about." 

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