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Local boy raising funds for two charities by braving frigid waters

CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. – 11-year-old Sylas Thompson wants to help the community by swimming in cold waters.

The Campbell River boy is planning to swim every single day starting on February 1st. In a video released by his grandmother Sheryl Thompson, he said he wants to raise $30, 000.

$15, 000 will go to the local Grassroots, Kind Hearts Society. The charity provides hot meals every night to those in need within Campbell River.

Krisandra Rufus heads Grassroots, Kind Hearts, and she said the funds will go towards buying the food they will serve, but also towards paying for a place of their own.

The group has been looking for a permanent base where they can prepare and serve the food all in one place. Currently, they prepare the food at Rufus’ home and serve food at Radiant Life Church.

Rufus said she and her volunteers will plan days to join Sylas on his daily swim to cheer him on, but they are not sure yet which days they’ll be able to come out.

The other $15, 000 will go to the Campbell River Women’s Resource Centre.

Linda Schulz, drop-in coordinator at the Women’s Resource Centre, said they are excited that someone young is so aware and ready to help.

“We feel amazed by such a young boy doing something like this. It blows my mind. I’m grateful to who’s raising him as well – making people young people like him aware of people that need things… people that are in a different situation,” Schulz said.

“He wants to do this until he raises $30, 000 and I think that’s amazing.”

Sheryl Thompson, Sylas’ grandmother, said the boy is following after his uncle’s footsteps. Jake Hebenton did polar bear swims when he was 13 years old  to raise money for the Campbell River Food Bank.

Sylas will start swimming on February 1st at 3 p.m. at the Tyee Spit, and will swim every day at the same time after that until he raises $30, 000.

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