Soulfire Tattoo Studio raises $2,600 for Inclusion Collective project

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Residents of Fort St. John stepped up to support a sale raising funds to support local mental health initiatives. 

Soulfire Tattoo Studio, located at 10104 100th Street in Fort St. John, held a flash sale to support the Inclusion Collective project from May 22nd to 24th.

Proceeds from the sale benefited the Inclusion Collective project, an initiative supporting programs at the Fort St. John Association for Community Living (FSJACL), including Saplings mental health services. 

According to its website, Saplings Mental Health Services is owned and operated by two clinical counsellors, Julia Hintermeister and Laura Honey, who bonded over a desire to fill the gaps in North Eastern BC mental health services for children and youth. 

Saplings’ inpatient and outpatient program faced the risk of cancellation in October 2025.  

MLA for Peace River North Jordan Kealy urged Health Minister Josie Osborne to renew the inpatient and outpatient contract with Saplings during question period in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia on October 9th, 2025.

According to the Saplings Mental Health Services website, it offers an inpatient and outpatient assessment and treatment program through its Northern Health Stabilization Program. 

The program offers those aged 6 to 19 who are experiencing acute mental health or substance use crises with inpatient support and outpatient assessment. It also provides programming for treatment and case management.

Referrals for the program are received through the Emergency Department at the Fort St. John Hospital. 

On January 26th, City of Fort St. John Councillor Trevor Bolin introduced a motion to allocate $20,000 from the 2026 operational budget to support Saplings Mental Health Services. 

“Saplings Mental Health Services strives to meet the mental health needs of the next generation at the community level,” its website said. 

“We are here to collaborate with service providers, stakeholders and community members who are working with children and youth in almost any capacity. The Saplings team is passionate about ensuring children and youth mental health is being addressed at this critical time.” 

Cody Morin, owner of Soulfire Tattoo Studio, explained the purpose behind the sale. 

“There’s a lot of positive mental health benefits that come with tattooing, the process of tattooing,” he said. “It’s a neat way for us as artists to kind of give back and help out the best we can.” 

Olivia Desor, an apprentice at Soulfire Tattoo Studio, discussed why the studio chose to support the Inclusion Collective Project.

“It [the Inclusion Collective Project] includes the Saplings program, and I have had personal experiences with them,” she said. “[I have gone] to their groups because I’ve really struggled with mental health for a lot of my life, and I’ve taken that with me even to this day.”

Morin said one of the highlights of the sale was when Jamie Parsons, a bluey day participant, came into the shop.

“[Parsons] mentioned she was coming in, and she did because she went to do the Bluey Day thing, where she got her hair chopped off, and then came and got a head tattoo afterwards,” he said. 

According to Morin, the studio donated $2,600 to the Inclusion Collective project. 

Morin also said the studio attempted to donate to Saplings Mental Health Services last year, but Saplings was unable to accept donations because it was government-funded at the time.

The goal of the sale was to help support people on their mental health journey, Morin said.