WINNIPEG — Friends and family of Cooper Nemeth are thanking Bear Clan Patrol for their support by donating funds raised by memorial bracelets for the late Winnipeg teen.
Ramona Waldner and Paige Buors, family friends of the Nemeths, created thousands of rubber bracelets, inscribed with phrases such as “#RememberCip”. 17-year-old Nemeth went missing in the early morning hours of February 14 and his body was found in an alleyway nearly a week later.
On Saturday, Waldner and Buors presented a cheque of over $2,000 raised from those bracelets to Bear Clan Patrol, a search group that regularly patrols neighbourhoods in Winnipeg and was involved in exhaustive searches for Nemeth.
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Waldner explains Nemeth’s death has touched the lives of many people who never knew him.
“We got requests from people in England; a hockey team heard about Cooper. We sent bracelets to people in the Netherlands too,” said Waldner.
The parents of Cooper Nemeth requested the majority of donated money go towards supporting the search group.
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Bear Clan Patrol has gained new volunteers and garnered praise after their efforts across the province. In addition to helping find Nemeth, they were also played a role in the search for Delaine Copenance in Kenora, Ontario and toddler Chase Martens in March.
“It’s overwhelming,” said James Favel, leader of Bear Clan Patrol, of the amount of positive reaction they’ve received.
“The family is dealing with their own trauma, meanwhile they’re still busying themselves to support us.”
While much of Bear Clan’s efforts are concentrated on improving Winnipeg’s North End neighbourhood, indigenous leader Larry Morrissette said the friendship struck between Bear Clan and a number of neighbourhoods in the city can help heal racial divides in the city.
“It means change. It means our children will see something different and begin to see opportunity,” Morrissette said.
Representatives from Bear Clan will accept the donation at the bell tower on Selkirk Avenue and encourage the public to attend.
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