Stuart Westie loved Cheryl Folden, and now he wants to create a memorial for his friend.
Cheryl had become his roommate last year, but then died in January 2024. The cause of her death is not clear, though years of drug use had taken their toll.
Devastated by the loss of his friend and roommate, Westie wanted to do something in her honour, first considering a park bench.
“That would have cost under $800 and I would simply have paid myself,” he said.
But his hopes have grown from a bench to something honouring more than one person.
“I began to think bigger, like a statue of Cheryl but aimed at the abused, addicted, homeless, misunderstood, and often dead,” he said.
Westie has now started a Go Fund Me towards a memorial to raise enough funds to put something in Boitanio Park.
He has approached the city about the idea and is considering different options depending on how much he can raise, with any extra funds not spent to go towards the Cariboo Chilcotin Foundry, the BGC Williams Lake or the Salvation Army.
He has contacted the person who created the Terry Fox statue outside of the Legislative Assembly building in Victoria.
However the price tag he was quoted was $70,000.
“I gulped,” he said.
He then looked at other options, including a stone monument, which came in at a lower $20,000.
At this point, having not raised much money, he is hoping to find someone locally who can do a stone wishing well for the park.
But nothing is set in stone yet, as Westie continues to look for ways to honour his friend. The city has not yet approved hosting a memorial, but Westie is hopeful they will consider the idea when he has a final plan with a person in place to build the monument.
To view the Go Fund Me, go to: https://shorturl.at/erBCF
READ MORE: Obituary - Cheryl Yvonne Folden
READ MORE: Williams Lake homeless woman’s obit strikes a chord with readers
Don’t miss out on reading the latest local, provincial and national news offered at the Williams LakeTribune. Sign up for our free newsletter here.