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Calgary Herald

Shades of kindness: Rangeland Derby Rockstar Chanse Vigen's pink sunglasses raise money for families in need

Article content The Rangeland Derby has its own version of the Pink Pony Club. Article content Pink sunglasses are taking over the chuckwagon world — and for a very good cause. Article content The I'm Your Huckleberry campaign, launched by Chanse and Brie Vigen, is a grassroots charity that supports families facing difficult times. Article content Article content Article content 'That winter, I thought — this is a great opportunity to create a non-profit,' Brie recalled. 'I didn't know exactly how at first, but I knew we could sell the sunglasses and raise money for something good.' Article content The couple from Grande Prairie, Alta., quickly got to work — and didn't have to look far for a name. Article content 'When we started dating, Chanse would always say, 'I'm your Huckleberry,'' Brie said. 'It meant, 'I'm your man. I got you.' So, I thought, what a perfect name for the grant: I'm Your Huckleberry — we got you, when you don't have anybody else there to support you.' Article content Article content And just like that, the I'm Your Huckleberry charity was born. Article content The campaign launched last year, and while it took some time to catch on, the chuckwagon community quickly rallied once they realized what it was all about. Article content 'It's been amazing,' Brie said. 'At first, I think people didn't fully understand what we were doing. Some thought we were just selling merch. But then, on Thanksgiving, we knocked on doors and delivered support directly to families — and when people saw that, everything changed.' Article content So far, the charity has helped two families and plans to support two more this year — with hopes of expanding even further.