It was both a celebration and a time for remembrance as more than 50 people gathered Friday afternoon to mark the year since Angel Carlick, a Blue Feather Youth Centre member and youth leader, disappeared.

The 19-year-old Carlick's remains were discovered last November in the Pilot Mountain subdivision.

The celebration came as the centre moved closer to Carlick's and the centre's dream of providing shelter to youth after they were granted a $50,000 loan to serve as a deposit on a property, the centre announced at the end of an 1 1/2 hour memorial service honouring Carlick.

"Today we were told the $50,000 was there," Vicki Durrant, the Blue Feather's executive director, told reporters following the memorial service.

"So it's like a miracle, and I kind of feel Angel was sort of behind the scenes doing something to make it happen."

The provider of the loan wants to remain anonymous, she said.

"They didn't want to see it (the shelter) fall through and today was our deadline," Durrant said.

The $50,000 allows the centre to put a deposit on the former International Hostel that will bear the name Angel's Nest under the Blue Feather's direction, at Fourth Avenue and Jeckell Street. Another $425,000 will have to be raised by Sept. 1 to make the purchase.

With 22 beds, bikes and helmets that come with the property, it's as if the building is waiting for the youth centre's project, she said.

This week, a committee will likely be formed to spearhead the initiative.

Durrant hopes to see both the territorial and first nation governments go beyond verbal commitments to help fund the Angel's Nest.

There have been verbal commitments from the levels of government. However, it becomes a catch-22 situation, with the territory stating it wants to see the first nation commitment to the project first, while first nations want to see the territorial commitment first, Durrant argued.

The shelter would provide a safe place to go for the many youth who don't have family support they need with 24-hour staff in place to help.

"They deserve a safe place to go," Durrant said.

She remembered Carlick and her brother and mother staying at the housing program the Blue Feather ran out of the Roadhouse four years ago.

Under that program, housing was provided at the motel for youth working at the centre.

The family was evicted when the Blue Feather was forced to shut the program down, with Carlick at around the age of 15 or 16.

"After that, she was determined we would set something up and she was going to help us in doing that," Durrant said.

It was something officials and members at Blue Feather knew had to happen especially after Carlick went missing. The shelter was a dream not only of Carlick's but everyone at the centre, Durrant said.

"We're not going to let go of that," she stressed.

The loan and moving ahead with the shelter mean there's something positive for the members of the Blue Feather to focus on after a very depressing year following Carlick's disappearance and death.

Durrant and others have been hopeful the "something positive" would have seen the RCMP further along in its investigation with an arrest, but she said there is confidence that will happen.

Last month, police noted in a statement they're continuing to pursue all leads in the case, urging those who have information to come forward.

At Friday's memorial service, an RCMP officer was on-hand, as were MLAs, first nation leaders, victim services workers and Justice Minister Marian Horne.

Also there were Carlick's family and many friends who remembered the young woman as a leader among youth who changed her life around for the better and was looking forward to graduating and going to college.

"I'm proud of her," Carlick's mother, Wendy, said as she stood at the mic remembering her daughter as a child.

It's hard to come to the youth centre sometimes, Wendy noted.

Each time she's in the building, she can't help but think of her daughter, whose work there extended from painting designs on the fence to cooking for other youth there.

Recalling her daughter as a child, Wendy said it was Carlick who, at the age of three, noticed a grizzly bear while out with her Auntie Pam.

Not realizing what the animal was, Carlick excitedly told her aunt to look at the creature, at which point Pam took off only to look back and see the child wasn't with her. She soon returned, picked Carlick up and took off.

It was one of many trips Carlick would go on with her Auntie Pam throughout her life.

Many times, Wendy would join her daughter as a chaperone for school trips.

"She enjoyed life like I did when I was young," Wendy said.

Carlick's friend Samantha Bennett spoke emotionally as she told the crowd to continue Carlick's work for youth because that's what Carlick would have wanted.

"Let's do it for her," she said, after noting there was so much her friend could have and would have done.

Carlick's grandmother recalled the young woman's reassurance that she was OK and was going to finish school. After that, Carlick had planned to learn how to tan moose hide from her grandmother.

"I just really miss her," her grandmother said.

The service celebrated Carlick's (who was a Kaska member) first nation heritage with traditional drumming by Lacy Scarf, whose traditional name means Flower Mother.

Scarf noted the importance of ancestors in first nation culture before she performed the Lonely Song with Viola Papequash, who oversaw the service.

On the walls hung posters featuring pictures of Carlick, with prints of the poster handed out following the service.

Papequash also pointed to the importance of acknowledging both those who have gone on to the spirit world.

"They've made a path for us to follow," she said, adding it's important to pray as well for those that have not yet been born.

Others who didn't know Carlick talked about how her life had impacted their own.

Horne said she had honoured Carlick on her way into the memorial by stopping for a moment to view her paintings outside the centre.

Carlick faced many challenges in her life and was able to overcome them and help others, the minister said.

"Let's remember her with love and respect," she said, adding the youth at the centre could come talk to her anytime.

A message needs to be sent that violence against women should not be tolerated in this day and age, said Andy Carvill, grand chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations.

"It's tragic her young life was cut short," he said.

While the case hasn't been solved, NDP McIntyre-Takhini MLA John Edzerza noted there is a positive from the tragedy in last November's discovery.

Edzerza recalled his brother's disappearance 45 years ago and noted his sibling was never found.

"I don't know what happened," he said.

He encouraged youth at the centre to learn from the tragedy and follow how they feel about a situation when they're faced with difficult choices.

"We need to look after each other," he said, noting as well the importance of Liberal Vuntut Gwitchin MLA Darius Elias's words.

Elias took the podium holding one of his two sons at the service. As his son slept in his arms, Elias said he had brought his young boys to the memorial to learn about the grieving process.

Encouraging the youth to support each other and noting that the Yukon is about community strength, he said his sons were learning from each and everybody gathered at the Blue Feather.

"We're all here to support you as leaders," he said.

Also on hand was the Aboriginal Women's Circle, with a representative offering condolences to the family and friends.

The event closed with Scarf's drumming as she was joined on stage by others joining in the singing.