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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.