Seven years after Tessa Beauchamp’s death, special fundraisers continue to remember the Surrey athlete.
One of them, hosted by the Langley Thunder Senior A lacrosse organization, takes place again Wednesday night (July 24) at Langley Events Centre.
In an annual event, members of the team will don special, Tessa-inspired purple jerseys for their Western Lacrosse Association finale, with all proceeds to Tessa Beauchamp Foundation (tessabeauchamp.org).
Online, people can bid on the jerseys prior to the game (until 11 p.m. July 23), at langleythunder.com.
During the game, money raised from the sale of Root Beer Floats (donated by Langley A&W) will also go to the foundation, which distributes scholarships for students and assists registered charities in their efforts, both locally and internationally.
• RELATED STORY: Lacrosse team honours Surrey athlete by raising money for charity in her name, from 2018.
Tessa, a star athlete at Holy Cross Regional High School in Surrey, died in 2012 at the age of 18, after a lengthy battle with a rare type of cancer.
She loved the colour purple, hence the purple-hued jerseys up for auction.
Tessa’s mom, Wendy, said it’s nice that people still support the charity in her daughter’s name.
“Obviously it will always stay with us but as time goes by, you worry that people won’t be there to support (the cause) anymore,” Wendy said in a release.
“The more we can do in her name the better it is to have something good come out of something so awful. The more people we can help, the more we can do, the better,” she added. “The fact the Thunder do this for the organization is pretty amazing, and it is nice to know that people still care and want to help.”
Tessa dated the son of Langley Thunder president Ken Buchan, and Buchan was also a teacher at Holy Cross where she went to school.
“She fought to the end and is an inspiration to so many people,” Buchan said.
Two other annual fundraisers honour Tessa – one at Frost Road Elementary and another at Holy Cross, the main site of the Tessa Tournament, a girls basketball event that drew 44 teams last February.
• READ MORE: Purple-adorned players to remember Surrey basketball star at Tessa’s Tournament.
Tessa had an infectious smile and warm, happy disposition, according to those who knew her.
“She was one of those kids who got along with everybody,” said her father, Steve Beauchamp. “She was very personable, but I think what made her unique was she had a real empathy for other kids. She always found a way to make sure she included other people and I think that just drew people to her.”
