Victoria high school robotics team grateful for support as fundraising continues
A Victoria high school robotics team has raised about a quarter of the money they'll need to be able to compete in an international competition in Texas next month.
Since taking home first place in the FIRST Tech Challenge competition in Surrey, B.C., earlier this month, the Reynolds Reybots team from Reynolds Secondary School has raised about $9,000.
The team is grateful for the support that will help send 25 people – 22 students and three mentors – to the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship in Texas in four weeks.
"The amount of support from just the community and so many people willing to help us and so many kind people going out of their way to help us and donate is really cool," said team member Nick Bernhardt.
The team is still well short of its $40,000 goal, but Bernhardt said the money it has received so far is already a big help.
"I don't think we'll get to the $40,000, but I think it's definitely achievable for us to get at least half that, and I think that will make just a huge difference for families having to pay the rest of the cost," he said.
The Reybots are still taking donations through their GoFundMe campaign. They're also holding a bottle drive at Reynolds Secondary School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 1.
Two local businesses have also stepped up to offer fundraisers for the team.
49 Below ice cream is offering a 10 per cent discount with 10 per cent of proceeds going to the team when customers use the promotional code "Reybots," and Island Chef Pepper Co. is donating $5 from the sale of every bottle of its West Coast Classic sauce to the team.
Correction
This story has been updated to correct the name of the competition the team won. It was the FIRST Tech Challenge, not FIRST Robotics Canada
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.