Yukon Cares dinner brings in more than $9K for Syrian refugees

Yukoners stepped up to the plate on Saturday evening, filling their bellies and emptying their wallets to raise money for refugees.

The Yukon Cares fundraiser sold out, with at least250 people attending a dinner and silent auction at Porter Creek Secondary School.

Yukon Cares is the organization helping sponsor a family of 10from Syria.

Committee member Raquel de Queiroz says she was delighted with the turnout at the group's first fundraising event.

"Everybody was having so much fun and it was great," she said.

"It was heartwarming to see the room packed and to see the support that the community has for this cause. It's really encouraging."

De Queiroz says she doesn't have an exact figure on how much money was raised, but she says it is more than$9,000.

Together with moneymatched from government, $80,000 is needed tosponsor arefugee family of 10 for their first year in the Yukon.