(Supplied)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Yellow Butterfly Program

Sylvan Lake non-profit brings together local restaurants to help struggling youth

Apr 12, 2023 | 10:12 AM

A non-profit organization in Sylvan Lake is taking flight this May, on a mission to partner with Alberta restaurants and provide meals, support, and welcoming spaces for struggling youth.

The Yellow Butterfly Program was created by Sylvan Lake town councillor Kjeryn Dakin and Alberta radio host Randi Chase. Officials say it was piloted in 2021 at Dakin’s restaurant Bukwildz in an effort to provide a safe space connector for struggling youth to enjoy a free meal and access vital resources.

On May 4, the Society will officially launch with a celebratory gathering held at the restaurant (4903 Lakeshore Dr) from 12 – 1 p.m.

The Society says the idea behind the program came about after Dakin made a social post during the pandemic that went viral where she offered a free meal, wifi and odd jobs at her restaurant to youth who were struggling with mental, emotional, financial or physical difficulties.

According to the provincial government, suicide was listed as the leading cause of death among Alberta youth aged 15 to 19 in 2014, with depression as the largest disabler.

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“We saw a tremendous need for this program not just in Sylvan Lake but across the province,” said Dakin. “We chose a yellow butterfly as a symbol of the transformation, hope and optimism we want our youth to feel. Our hope for this program is that it opens the lines of communication for youth and shows them that their community cares and that they are valued.”

Dakin and Chase say they are looking to propagate the initiative beyond the borders of Sylvan Lake and across the province by teaming up with other restaurateurs, chefs, and like-minded people in the Alberta hospitality industry to join as program partners.

“Our mission is simple,” says Chase, “to give at risk youth, spaces to feel seen and heard where they can find connections to the proper resources if they wish to access them. Our hope is to provide youth with a welcome space, a warm meal and the comfort of knowing that they are supported, loved and have people who will listen.”

(L-R) Alberta radio host Randi Chase and Sylvan Lake town councillor and restauranteur Kjeryn Dakin. (Supplied)

The Society says participating restaurants will be provided with resources, orientation and a yellow butterfly insignia to affix to their window or storefront to indicate that it is part of the program and a safe space where youth can seek shelter, find refuge and access resources.

To RSVP for the launch celebration and for restaurants, chefs and suppliers looking to partner or donate, email info@yellowbutterflyprogram.com.