Goulais and Heyden residents come together with a fundraiser for Jackie

The Goulais and Heyden communities are coming together in a big way to support an area woman who has been going through a great deal of heartbreak in recent years.

Jackie Evans-Cole has been supporting her young granddaughter Stella through difficult cancer treatments. During a time when they were away for treatments in London, Jackie's son Brandon — who is Stella's father — was killed in a motor vehicle collision.

Last year, Jackie and Stella were recipients of one of SooToday's 12 Days of Christmas Random Acts of Kindness. Since that appearance, Jackie has experienced even more challenges, from health challenges to the death of her father in a tragic fire last spring.

"She just gives and she never asks for anything in return," said Hope Bouliane of her friend, Jackie. "She's a wonderful person and it's just been a tragic chain of events."

Bouliane is one of a number of people in Jackie's life who have come together to organize a pasta dinner fundraiser scheduled for Nov. 8 at the Heyden Eagles Club.

She said the financial burden for Jackie has been enormous as she has spent years supporting her family and friends through their own hardships.

"Jackie is very strong, but she didn't expect all of these things to happen the way that they did," said Bouliane.

She said Jackie has been a lifelong resident of Heyden and Goulais, and is often first to chip in when somebody needs assistance.

The pasta dinner will fun from 3 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 at the Heyden Eagles Club at 20 Trout Lake Road. Tickets are available at The Heyden Eagles Club, The Krooked Korner Store or the Timberland General Store.

Tickets are $25, while support tickets are available for $15 for people who are unable to attend. Dinner tickets must be purchased by Nov. 6 to allow for the proper number of dinners to be prepared.