Trisha Shanks
Arrow Lakes News
Two local ladies have partnered to organize donations for the children left behind by the recent loss of their young mother. On Monday December 8, Sarah Aspeslet, age 36, succumbed to cancer leaving behind two children, aged eight and 15. Local women Jill Cann and Stephanie Dieterman knew Aspeslet and have joined forces to arrange for financial assistance in her memory.
Unable to work for the last several years due to illness, Aspeslet had been trying to generate donations for medical supplies and treatment costs, but when she was given just 18 months to live, the focus of her fundraising switched to creating memories. Her dying wish was to provide her family with a trip while she was well enough to accompany them.
“A vacation, somewhere out of the country. Something they will never forget,” Aspeslet said in a September interview with the Arrow Lakes News. “The bills and rent come first of course but I hope there is potential for a family vacation. If there is anything left over, we will take whatever holiday we can get.”
Aspeslet’s condition declined more rapidly than doctors could predict. Unfortunately, she never got to take that sunny vacation with her kids.
When asked about her choice to become an organizer Dieterman said, “Part of living in a small community kind of makes everyone friends — in a sense, that’s what’s great about our town.”
Cann and Dieterman are responsible for the donation jars around Nakusp at different locations.
“The money that’s raised will go to her partner and children to help them with whatever they need. The silent auction would have not happened had it not been for Jill Cann starting all of this as well as all of the wonderful donations from local businesses.” Dieterman said.
The silent auction items move to the Legion on Friday evening where there will be a poker tournament. Half of the buy in will go towards the fund for Aspeslet's family. These women aren’t the only ones pitching in to help out. Aspeslet’s friend Jessica Godtmark is involved in organizing an event to be held in the new year at the Leland Hotel.