The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Shayne Pearson Memorial Bursary is growing faster than most people's bank accounts. So far Lisa Smale, Shayne's mother, with the help of others, has raised $7,000. "We want to get $10,000," she said. "It would be nice to know you're set up for seven years. "People have been awesome," Smale said. "I didn't have any expectations at all. I hoped we could come up with the first year,, but it's been better." The support in her mind has been incredible "It's overwhelming really," she said with a smile. "You'd think we'd be doing something bigger than a bursary." Smale's friend, Jill Spiller, who has been helping raise money for the bursary by selling hats made for the annual Mel Pearson Memorial Hockey Tournament with Shayne's name on the back, said she isn't surprised. "He was just a great kid. A loveable kid," Spiller said, describing Shayne. "I think it's fantastic. "Anything we do, Flin Flon is probably the only town I'd want to be in," she said, considering how little effort has had to go into it. "I wasn't really shocked." Shayne's friends come to Smale with a stockpile of ideas. They thought of the hat and bunk hockey tournament during the winter. There are also jars in various businesses that will add to the contribution. Smale is thinking about having a floor hockey tournament as well. All the support has been there because, as Smale said, her son was just an awesome kid. "He knew he had lots of friends," she said with a smile. "He liked them as much as they liked him." In helping her raise money, she said Shayne's friends just want to help carry on his memory and are willing to do anything. "I would like it (the bursary) to last as long as Hapnot Collegiate," Smale said. While things are going very well, Smale admits she had doubts. "You're not sure if the community stays with it," she said. "It doesn't seem to be going away." The pain Smale feels is still the same as six months ago when she lost her son, but she gets some happiness from this. "Being able to help others makes you happy," she said. The first bursary recipient will also be happy when they get $1,500 toward education and continuing sporting pursuits.
