Alicia Ross
The Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth
Alicia Heather Ross was born in February 1980, and was adopted by Sharon and the late Marvin Ross immediately after birth. She had blonde hair, and blue eyes which turned green when she laughed or cried. As a baby, Alicia had the chubbiest face Sharon had ever seen. Today, many of Sharon’s friends say that when they remember Alicia, they remember a beautiful chubby baby with white-blonde hair and beautiful blue/green eyes.
When Alicia was three years old, a new baby came home – Jamie: her best friend and confidante, her comrade in arms, her canoe partner, her baby brother. When Alicia was 11 years old Sharon married Julie, and Marvin married Anna. Alicia then had 7 brothers and sisters: Jamie, Trisha, Randi, Andrew, Shawn, Stephan and Adam.
On August 17, 2005 Alicia went missing, and during the next 5 weeks, one the largest missing person searches in Canadian history developed. Thousands were caught up in the search for Alicia, and the hope that she might be found alive. She had become “everyone’s daughter”. Police officers involved in the search gave up personal time – this had become more than a job to them. Thoughts and prayers, and unbelievable support kept her family, relatives and friends hopeful. But, on September 21, 2005 York Region Police advised Alicia’s family that she had been killed – and an outside public that had come to know this family and this beautiful young woman personally, was stunned. On October 7th, over 1500 people attended her funeral, and the mourning process began.
In her eulogy, Sharon said “She was an adorable and good baby, a precocious toddler, a blossoming pre-teen, and …. a terrible, terrible teenager!” Teenage years were filled with rebellion, adventure, the birth of her ‘no fear’ attitude to life, and a fierce loyalty to friends and family. This was the beginning of her growth into a spirited, yet warm and understanding young woman.
One mother wrote: “Everyone’s relationships with their children are unique. What you must be going through is not just a mother’s worst nightmare which is a too often quoted cliché … but the loss of Alicia in this heartless act has to be more than one can bear. Alicia has and will continue to hold a very special place in all our hearts for always.”
Today, people are still affected by Alicia’s disappearance and untimely death. There isn’t a day that passes, that Alicia is not thought of and missed by family and friends. Strangers still send cards and letters to her family, trying to reach out and help ease the burden of sorrow – just as Alicia would have done.
Another wrote: “Alicia’s life was much too short, but through everything we’ve learned about her, it is clear that her life was rich with love, friendship, amazing experiences and family. You succeeded in painting a beautiful picture of your dear Alicia so that we all felt that we got to know her personally. Alicia was very special, coming from a family that is so strong, warm, supportive and connected to one another.”
When Alicia and Jamie were young, they were introduced to ‘tripping’ – camping out and canoeing – by some of Sharon’s friends and cousins. Their first canoe trip in the summer of 1988 took them to the Thirty Thousand Islands of Georgian Bay. They were hooked. Next summer it was Algonquin Park. As she got older and independent, Alicia tripped with Jamie and friends to various points in Northern Ontario. Alicia eventually became a tripper at Camp White Pine, leading groups of children on canoe trips through the beauty of Northern Ontario that she so loved. She said to her mother “Mum, this is the best job in the world. I just have to spend one or two days at camp replenishing supplies and organizing the next group, and then I’m gone again – canoeing, portaging, camping. It’s the best.”
Alicia’s adventurous spirit took her to the Negev and Judean Deserts in Israel, Ontario’s Algonquin and Temagami, Australia, Peru and whitewater rafting down the Amazon River. Before her death, Alicia had been planning a trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica.
Because of her passion for ‘tripping’, Alicia’s family has carefully chosen Project C.A.N.O.E. as the worthy recipient of funds donated to the Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth, so that in her memory youth at risk can enjoy the wonders of Northern Ontario that Alicia so loved.
To learn more about Alicia, please see the website set up in her memory at www.aliciaross.ca.
To make a secure online contribution to the Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth, a special endowment fund to sponsor the participation of youth at risk in canoe trips, please click here. Alternatively, you may wish to forward your cheque payable to:
Project C.A.N.O.E.
P.O. Box 720, Station P,
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2Y4.
Please note on the cheque or cover letter that the contribution is for the Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth.
When Alicia was three years old, a new baby came home – Jamie: her best friend and confidante, her comrade in arms, her canoe partner, her baby brother. When Alicia was 11 years old Sharon married Julie, and Marvin married Anna. Alicia then had 7 brothers and sisters: Jamie, Trisha, Randi, Andrew, Shawn, Stephan and Adam.
On August 17, 2005 Alicia went missing, and during the next 5 weeks, one the largest missing person searches in Canadian history developed. Thousands were caught up in the search for Alicia, and the hope that she might be found alive. She had become “everyone’s daughter”. Police officers involved in the search gave up personal time – this had become more than a job to them. Thoughts and prayers, and unbelievable support kept her family, relatives and friends hopeful. But, on September 21, 2005 York Region Police advised Alicia’s family that she had been killed – and an outside public that had come to know this family and this beautiful young woman personally, was stunned. On October 7th, over 1500 people attended her funeral, and the mourning process began.
In her eulogy, Sharon said “She was an adorable and good baby, a precocious toddler, a blossoming pre-teen, and …. a terrible, terrible teenager!” Teenage years were filled with rebellion, adventure, the birth of her ‘no fear’ attitude to life, and a fierce loyalty to friends and family. This was the beginning of her growth into a spirited, yet warm and understanding young woman.
One mother wrote: “Everyone’s relationships with their children are unique. What you must be going through is not just a mother’s worst nightmare which is a too often quoted cliché … but the loss of Alicia in this heartless act has to be more than one can bear. Alicia has and will continue to hold a very special place in all our hearts for always.”
Today, people are still affected by Alicia’s disappearance and untimely death. There isn’t a day that passes, that Alicia is not thought of and missed by family and friends. Strangers still send cards and letters to her family, trying to reach out and help ease the burden of sorrow – just as Alicia would have done.
Another wrote: “Alicia’s life was much too short, but through everything we’ve learned about her, it is clear that her life was rich with love, friendship, amazing experiences and family. You succeeded in painting a beautiful picture of your dear Alicia so that we all felt that we got to know her personally. Alicia was very special, coming from a family that is so strong, warm, supportive and connected to one another.”
When Alicia and Jamie were young, they were introduced to ‘tripping’ – camping out and canoeing – by some of Sharon’s friends and cousins. Their first canoe trip in the summer of 1988 took them to the Thirty Thousand Islands of Georgian Bay. They were hooked. Next summer it was Algonquin Park. As she got older and independent, Alicia tripped with Jamie and friends to various points in Northern Ontario. Alicia eventually became a tripper at Camp White Pine, leading groups of children on canoe trips through the beauty of Northern Ontario that she so loved. She said to her mother “Mum, this is the best job in the world. I just have to spend one or two days at camp replenishing supplies and organizing the next group, and then I’m gone again – canoeing, portaging, camping. It’s the best.”
Alicia’s adventurous spirit took her to the Negev and Judean Deserts in Israel, Ontario’s Algonquin and Temagami, Australia, Peru and whitewater rafting down the Amazon River. Before her death, Alicia had been planning a trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica.
Because of her passion for ‘tripping’, Alicia’s family has carefully chosen Project C.A.N.O.E. as the worthy recipient of funds donated to the Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth, so that in her memory youth at risk can enjoy the wonders of Northern Ontario that Alicia so loved.
To learn more about Alicia, please see the website set up in her memory at www.aliciaross.ca.
To make a secure online contribution to the Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth, a special endowment fund to sponsor the participation of youth at risk in canoe trips, please click here. Alternatively, you may wish to forward your cheque payable to:
Project C.A.N.O.E.
P.O. Box 720, Station P,
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2Y4.
Please note on the cheque or cover letter that the contribution is for the Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth.
GIVE TO THE ALICIA ROSS MEMORIAL FUND FOR YOUTH
Donate to Project C.A.N.O.E. by making a designated gift to the Alicia Ross Memorial Fund for Youth. This special endowment fund honours the memory of Alicia Ross, a young woman killed in the Summer of 2005. The interest earned through this Fund will support participation of youth at risk in canoe trips.