WESTLOCK – The Spirit in The Skye Memorial Ride Saturday, in memory of Skye Morrison, raised double that it did last year bringing in almost $4,800 for mental health and suicide prevention programs.
Barb Ellis, one of the event’s key organizers and Skye Morrison’s mother, was moved by the support.
“It amazes me, the community support we have in these little towns,” she said. “So much support and the contributions; it really touches our hearts.
“Just Keeping Skye’s memory alive is very special to us,” she added. “She was a very shy young lady but also very well-known. We have been in the community ever since she was a young girl. I personally grew up in the community and had moved away, and then after I had Skye and her sister, I moved back to the community, so Skye was very well-known through Rochester, Westlock and Athabasca. She had many friends, and she graduated high school from St. Mary’s.”
In June 2021, 19-year-old Skye Morrison died.
“She left behind two little girls and so that is difficult and it’s nice for them to see how loved she was. It’s very important, very dear to our hearts, to keep [fundraiser] going and for other families that are struggling to know that they are not alone.”
Ellis said they also lost their nephew last December.
“It’s terrible. It’s awful. Every year it gets worse instead of better. It’s astounding, the suicides. I believe that every person has been touched by it in some way or another.”
All the funds raised at the Spirit in the Skye Memorial Ride will go towards non-profit group Soul Sisters programs aimed at awareness and education about suicide prevention and mental illness/wellness.
Soul Sisters was founded by Christine Vachon after losing their daughter Jeanelle to suicide.
“I come from a large family and when our daughter died by suicide in 2013, I was shocked that I did not recognize the signs of someone struggling with their mental health,” said Vachon on Soul Sisters website. “It made me realize that there may be other people that do not know those same signs. Since day one of starting our foundation, our family has said that if we can save one life it will be worth it. We continue to honour our daughter's life by helping others.”
Likewise, Ellis said she didn’t recognize the signs with her daughter Skye.
“We didn’t have a clue,” she said in a phone interview Tuesday.
The motorcycle memorial ride, initially scheduled in September to coincide with Skye's birthday, was moved to August. This adjustment, along with expanded outreach efforts, contributed to the event’s growth.
"We've been getting bigger each year," said Ellis. "More people are learning about it, and that’s exactly what we want."
The ride, organized in collaboration with the Iron Order Motorcycle Club, featured a scenic route with 30 motorcycles and trikes, as well as about five vehicles.
"The route was beautiful, and everything went off without a hitch," said Dale O’Brien, one of the event's coordinators. "It was a fantastic event.”
