Vancouver's "Yoyo Kid" needs help to fund international dream
Dubbed by many as Vancouver’s “Yoyo Kid”, 14-year-old professional yoyo-er Harrison Lee is looking to represent Canada at the World Yoyo Contest held this year in Prague — but needs a little help in funding to get there.
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For the last three years, Lee has acted as both string slinger and philanthropist. Between being dubbed Canada’s 2013 National Return Top Champion (in addition to 2011, his first year of professional yoyo-ing) and performing on stage alongside The Barenaked Ladies, the teen yoyo-er has organized charity events to benefit others. Most notably, last summer’s Spinning For Calgary fundraiser where he yoyo-ed for eight hours straight in order to raise money for relief efforts following the aftermath of Calgary’s floods.
His older sister, Allison, who acts as something of his unofficial manager, says that Harrison has “always been really motivated to help out the community. And with yoyo-ing it’s especially great because it’s so visual and it really draws a crowd in and makes people pay attention.”
For now, Lee is setting his sights on returning to the global stage at the World Yoyo Contest, hosted this year in Prague, Czech Republic. The contest will run from August 7 to 9 and will see over 1,000 yoyo-ers from over 30 countries compete for the top title.
Lee has attended in years past when the event was held in Florida, but is even more excited at the prospect of traveling to Prague to compete. In order to get there, however, he’s turning to his city for support and funds.
Harrison says that he will mostly be relying on busking at events to fund his trip to Prague. Such appearances will include being a regular performer at the Richmond Night Market as well as appearances at Car Free Day, the Canada Day celebration at Canada Place and at the Khatsahlano Block Party.
You can “Like” Harrison on Facebook here and check out more videos of him in action on YouTube here.
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