Fans of Schitt's Creek have celebrated star Dan Levy's recent birthday by paying it forward in a meaningful way - fundraising for LGBTIQ+ youth.
According toThe Huffington Post Canada, fans of the popular Canadian comedy series, which has been celebrated for its effortless queer representation, raised around $20,000 for Ontario’s LGBT Youth Line peer support group - all in Levy's name.
The effort was arranged by die-hard Schitt's Creek fan Bea Edwards, who told Huffington Post that she wanted to help give back to the show's cast, crew, and the broader LGBTIQ+community.
"The last day of filming of the last season of the show, we were all like, 'This is sad but it’s happy. What can we do to give something back to this cast and especially to Dan to show them how much they’d given to us?'" Edwards explained.
"And so we talked a little bit about his birthday… and I was like, 'Listen, messages are awesome and great, we should do those, but what if we actually gave back to an organisation that he really cares about?'"
Levy, who is openly gay, was clearly touched by the mammoth effort, taking to Twitter to share his gratitude.
“You are changing lives, you are saving lives, and you are helping young people in crisis,” Levy said in a video uploaded to Twitter.
He continued: “This was a birthday present I could have never imagined, and it will go down as one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given. I can’t thank you enough for your empathy and your generosity.”
LGBT Youth Line also shared their thanks, tweeting out a happy birthday message to Levy, who turned 36 last week.
Schitt's Creek recently wrapped production on its sixth and final season.
