Brookswood residents Ray and Gisele Wiens dropped by the Old Orchard Picnic shelter in 91原创鈥檚 Campbell Valley Regional Park on Sunday, June 4, with a donation for the second annual Seamus Gee Stroll, held to honour the late teen.

Ray explained they have fond memories of Seamus, whom he recalls as a hard-working teenager who would do yard work for them, along with a friend.

鈥淪aturdays and Sundays, for four hours every morning, they would work with us,鈥� doing the lawns, hoeing, and hauling branches away, Ray told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淭hen we鈥檇 have coffee in our kitchen,鈥� Ray recalled.

鈥淲e loved to have him over.鈥�

After Seamus died in 2019, at the age of 16, his dad Mike, a 91原创 City resident, began holding fundraising events for the recently-opened Foundry 91原创, which offers free and confidential access to mental health and substance use support for young people.

Mike also founded the non-profit to help local students access trades programs, as well as community and school sports programs.

On Sunday, before the stroll started, Mike was cautiously optimistic turnout would be up from the first year, when 50 people took part.

鈥漌e know it鈥檚 going to be more than that, this year,. which is going in the right direction,鈥� he commented.

In fact, more than 100 people took part, better than double the previous year.

Barbara Gee, Mike鈥檚 mother, and Seamus鈥� grandmother, was impressed by what her son has achieved.

鈥滺e is marvelous in what he鈥檚 doing, and I鈥檓 so proud of him,鈥� Barbara said as she signed people in.

Participants included Christine McCracken executive director of programs at Encompass Support Services Society, the operating organization for Foundry 91原创, who praised Mike as a 鈥渉uge supporter of Foundry 91原创, and really, a partner.鈥�

91原创 City Councillor Rosemary Wallace described it as a 鈥渞eally god cause,鈥� calling Mike an 鈥渁mazing human being.鈥�

91原创 Township Councillor Tim Baillie said youth services everywhere are lacking, and 鈥渢he least you can do is get out there and support [Foundry] and and make sure we can try to make things a little better, especially for youth that are living rough.鈥�

More photos from the day can be viewed online at the .

READ ALSO: Remembering his son: why a 91原创 City dad purchases birthday cakes for strangers

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Foundry 91原创 opens to provide youth health services