The community is pulling together to support a beloved Burnaby dance studio centre owner whose business took a major hit during COVID-19 and is now struggling with "devastating medical news."
According to a GoFundMe created by Amy Beeman, owner of Spotlight Dance Studio Jennifer White had to close the doors of the studio this past September due to COVID-19, after running the operation for 25 years.
The fundraising page says that same month, she was dealt some "devastating health news" that will require surgery next month and a substantial recovery time.
"Losing your business and facing a serious health diagnosis in the same month… this is one of those times that life just isn’t fair," the description says.
"She struggled to keep the studio open last year. In classic Jenn style, she kept it open because she didn’t want to disappoint her students.
"Unfortunately, the studio couldn’t survive the financial pressures of Covid. Jenn is dealing with personal debt she incurred while trying to keep the business afloat. Plus she has now medical expenses on top of that."
The description also says White is more than just a teacher or choreographer to her students.
"She is a role model, a friend, a mentor, a cheerleader, a parental figure. And the studio was a safe haven for her students. It was a home.
"Jenn considered every one of her students a part of her family. She would do (and did do) anything and everything for those kids!"
As of this publication (Oct. 19), $13,300 has been raised out of a $20,000 goal in just two days.
"She HATES that we are doing this. She always wants to be the helper, the one to be leaned upon. She never wants to ask for help. But it’s our turn to be strong for her. We need to be here for her. We need to let her lean on us.
"We want her to focus on her health and recovery and not worry about financial pressures right now. We need to take care of her.
"Because we all know, if the roles were reversed, she’d be there for us."
