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.