Community comes together at Cars for Cyra event

Rain and cold weather didn’t deter the community from coming out to the first annual Cars for Cyra event at Centre Wellington District High School on Oct. 18.

The custom car, truck and bike show was held to raise funds for Giving Light Offers Worth and Wellness (GLOWW) and the family of 14-year-old Cyra Oosterhuis, who battled depression and recently took her own life.

Event coordinator April Mcallister regularly organizes car shows and said it was the quickest way she could get people together for the cause.

“We’re raising funds the way I know how – with a car show,” she said.  “We’re trying to bring awareness to mental health issues because everyone is very in the dark. It’s the disease you don’t talk about.”

Mcallister said at this time of year most show enthusiasts have put their vehicles away for the season, so having so many come out shows immense community compassion.

“Usually for the car industry we won’t bring our cars out if it’s raining so I’m very impressed with the cars that have showed up,” she said.

The event featured a live DJ, vendors selling a variety of items, snacks, prizes and a bouncy castle.

Cyra’s mother Natalie Brown and step-father Wayne attended the event and said they were very touched by the community support.

“It’s very overwhelming,” said Brown. “People coming in with donations and showing up with all these vehicles, it’s absolutely incredible on her behalf.”

Brown said organizers hope to make the fundraiser an annual event and plan to host it in the summer so more people can attend and generate awareness about mental illness.

“For us as parents, it’s just incredible to get the word out and raise awareness and take down the walls surrounding mental health issues because of the stigma attached to it nobody talks about it and there’s fear,” she reflected.

“Even as parents we felt really alone in it and we don’t want any other parent to ever feel like we did.”

The biggest thing she says, is opening up lines of communication.

“It’s just about getting kids talking to each other and kids talking to parents – that’s basically our goal as Cyra’s parents, to open things up a bit,” she said.

Comments