A print of the Allen Sapp painting 'Boy Just in for the Game' is among the donations received for the online Auction for Ashley. (Submitted photo/Allen Sapp Gallery) 

By Angela Brown

Auction for Ashley

Auction for Ashley aims to raise reward; includes donation of prints of Allen Sapp work

Sep 12, 2019 | 5:32 PM

Family friends of missing North Battleford woman Ashley Morin are holding another online auction fundraiser called Auction For Ashley to increase the reward for information leading to her whereabouts. The auction is currently running and concludes Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.

The reward is currently set at $15,000, so the goal is to raise another $5,000 to bring the total up to $20,000.

Among the contributions in the auction are prints of four Allen Sapp paintings: ‘Boy Just in for the Game’; ‘Little Boy Playing’; ‘He Asked Me to Come in for Some Tea’; and ‘Load of Wood Ready to Go.’

“The Allen Sapp Gallery and the City of North Battleford supports the Ashley Morin family in their continued search for their missing daughter and loved one,” Leah Garven, Curator and Manager of Galleries for the City of North Battleford, said. “At this time it’s really important that the family continues to be supported by the community because they are victims in this situation where they have lost their loved one and they can’t find her.”

Garven said people need to “keep remembering that they are still searching for her, and that Ashley hasn’t been forgotten. So it’s important for the community to continue to support the family.”

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Ashley Morin has been missing since July, 2018. (Submitted photo/RCMP)

Leslie-Ann Smith and her daughter Alexis Christensen are organizing the fundraising initiative again. Smith was friends with Ashley Morin’s family when she was growing up and wanted to show her support. This is the third community auction fundraiser they held for Ashley Morin.

Morin family friend and spokesperson Krista Fox said the auctions have been ”instrumental in raising money that goes towards the reward.” She said the organizers have set up an account for the initiative.

“We will continue to keep up hope that something gives somewhere and we receive some tips as to where we may find our girl,” Fox said. “It’s been over a year now, and I think it’s time that somebody spoke up. So we are hoping with the reward money getting higher that will bring forth that person that could make a difference in this.”

The auction runs for 10 days; donations are still being accepted. Morin said about $5,000 has been raised in each of the prior auctions. The community donated gifts for the auction for the effort.

“Our whole community has known this family forever,” Fox said of Ashley Morin’s family.

Once the reward reaches $20,000, Morin’s family and supporters will create new posters to indicate the new reward value, and post them everywhere in the Battlefords to let people know Morin is still missing, and to help bring her home.

“We don’t know where to turn. It hasn’t got any easier,” Fox said. “As the days go by and we still hear nothing, it just gets harder and harder.”

Fox said the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) recently honoured Ashley Morin and brought awareness that she is still missing in a ceremony during a community barbecue on Sun., Sept. 1 in Saskatoon.

Morin was an avid soccer player and a five-time FSIN champion. To recognize Morin, the FSIN engraved Morin’s name on all the women’s soccer awards for the annual tournament on Mon., Sept. 2. Morin’s family took part in handing out the trophies to the winners.

Morin, 31 at the time, has been missing since July 10, 2018. According to the RCMP report July 10, 2019, based on the investigation to date, including numerous Crime Stoppers tips and witness statements, Saskatchewan RCMP believe Ashley Morin was the victim of a homicide.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW