Carol Todd wants everyone to remember her daughter.
After Amanda died in 2012, the Port Coquitlam mother launched a legacy society to pay tribute to her girl who, last month, would have turned 25.
But the non-profit was also designed to keep others safe, by sharing Amanda’s story of cyberbullying and by offering tips about digital health.
The messages are even more vital today, Todd said, with the proliferation of social media and so many people on their screens during the pandemic.
To raise cash for the cause and to continue the work, the Amanda Todd Legacy Society hosted an online auction in October, a campaign that brought in nearly $17,000 in goods sold plus $20,000 more in donations.
This month, the society is staging its second annual winter legacy fundraiser to keep the ball rolling, a drive that’s got a focus on next year.
Besides selling holiday gifts such as
- toques, hand-knitted by Bunny Horne
- charcuterie serving boards and fractal wood art, handcrafted by Mozukai, a Port Coquitlam business
- Amanda Todd Legacy Soap, by the PoCo Soap Co.
- snowflake pop sockets
- snowflake tree ornaments
the society is also featuring a Legacy Lilac Snowball Ornament that’s made of glass, with the aim to have a special sparkle during the winter months.
“Purple was her favourite colour,” Todd said, adding the ball is named Snowball of Support for Amanda for 2022 as her story continues to spread.
Todd told the Tri-City News that she believes Amanda’s tale would never have gone viral had she not published a video a month before her death.
In the 8:55-minute long clip on YouTube, called My story: Struggling, bullying, suicide, self harm that has been seen more than 14 million times since Sept. 7, 2012, Amanda holds up flash cards that explain how she spiralled into depression after a troll tormented her for years on Facebook.
Todd described her daughter as a creative soul, and she uses the snowflake as a symbol for Amanda for outreach — referring to something that starts fragile but, with other snowflakes, grows to become a force over time.
Winter is also about snowflakes, Todd said, and is a time to reflect and give.
Proceeds from the second annual winter campaign will go to the society’s operations, as well as Douglas College for the Amanda Todd legacy awards, the Rotary Club of Port Coquitlam Centennial and other organizations.
• To view the featured items in the second annual winter fundraiser, go to amandatoddlegacy.org or 32auctions.com/LegacyWinter2021.
