On November 6th, 2024, Liberty For Youth hosted our 20th Anniversary Power of a Changed Life Gala. The event featured co-emcees Steve Foxcroft from Fluke Transportation/Fox 40 International and Jason Dryden, the son of Liberty For Youth’s founders, Tanya and Frederick Dryden. We were joined by over 620 guests, who celebrated this milestone with us.
20th Annual Power of a Changed Life Gala
A highlight of the evening was the awarding of five scholarships to young adults pursuing post-secondary education, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college or university. The Reeve Family Foundation played a crucial role in making these scholarships possible. To date, Liberty For Youth has awarded over $147,500 in scholarships, achieving an impressive 83% success rate.
During the evening, Peyton’s story was shared:
“I faced severe bullying in kindergarten, leading to struggles in school and friendships. At 12, my mother lost her arm in an accident and required a wheelchair, which forced our family to move into a motel. I took on the responsibility of caring for my mom and sister, but the stress drove me to bad decisions, resulting in my expulsion from school. I then connected with Liberty For Youth, where I chose to work with a horse named Leo. Despite Leo being viewed as a difficult horse, I felt a bond with him. My time at the 7Rs Ranch helped me develop personal skills and make significant changes in my life. Liberty For Youth taught me to confront my problems, and I aspire to help youth like me, in the future.”
Furthermore, we had a very special guest be brought up to the stage, our Alumni, Rudy Sanchez. Rudy was introduced to Liberty For Youth at the age of 13. His favourite event was playing in the Unity Basketball Event, facing off the Hamilton Police All-Star Team. He didn't trust the police at the time but year by year, he befriended them. So much so that at our Gala, he received his police badge from the Chief of Police, Frank Bergen.
Rudy shared, "I joined the Liberty For Youth program 18 years ago at the age of 13. In 2015 Liberty For Youth expanded their partnership with Hamilton Police Service to further support me. This entailed connecting me with Constable Rod Allison, who would pick me up from school in a police cruiser. I also had monthly meetings with Officer Art Lenters, who took me to East Side Mario's for lunch. After graduating high school, I decided to pursue a program in Police Foundations and was fortunate to receive a scholarship from Liberty For Youth. I successfully graduated from Mohawk College in 2024.
We had Co-Founder Tanya Dryden take the stage to give closing remarks “When I look back, I wonder how are we still here after 20 years? This is impossible. But then I realise there is a culture of resilience at Liberty Youth, the donors, the sponsors and the youth. In 2023, over 2,000 charities closed their doors in Canada, so when I say we are still here because of you, I absolutely mean it.”