Yay!DAY in the News
Click here to read our latest article in the Lake Norman CURRENTS Magazine!
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Click here to read our latest article in the Lake Norman CURRENTS Magazine! ~
Our mission is to spread positivity in our community through service projects, volunteerism, mentorship, and special events.
This page includes highlights of the work we’ve done in our community.
Positively radiant: Boukedes leaves lasting impact through Yay!DAY Foundation
by Matt Chapman | Lake Norman Publications
Zoey Boukedes, an 18-year-old soon-to-be graduate of Hough High School, has spent the latter half of her childhood building and leading the Yay!DAY Foundation, a nonprofit focused on radiating positivity, with the goal of educating, inspiring and supporting those who are committed to improving the lives of others. Born from the mind of Boukedes in the fourth grade, the endeavor has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, making a tangible impact on the communities surrounding Lake Norman.
Founder Zoey Boukedes addresses the crowd at a Yay!Day Foundation event. /Courtesy Lindsey Romo
Our 2026 Comedy Show Raised Over $65,000!
More than $65,000 was raised at our 3rd Annual Comedy Show at the Cains Center for the Arts.
Thank you to everyone who came out to support the event, purchased tickets, made donations, and purchased items from our silent auction. A special thank you to our wonderful sponsors for all that you do to support Yay!DAY.
The event was a great night full of laughter, positivity, and hilarious comedy from Mr. John Heffron and Mr. Jason Allen King.
By official proclamation and presentation of the Town of Cornelius Mayor’s Coin, honorable Mayor Woody Washam declared April 24th to be “Yay!” Day and “Zoey Boukedes Day” in the city of Cornelius at a surprise ceremony prior to the start of our Yay!DAY’s 2025 Comedy Night at The Cain Center for the Arts.
Mayor Washam thanked Zoey for not only her commitment to spreading positivity in the schools and community through her foundation, but also reminded folks that Zoey was the youngest donor to The Cain Center’s founders club, helping to lay the financial foundation for the community center’s building campaign.
April 24th is Yay! Day and Zoey Boukedes Day!
Yay!DAY Awards $51,000 in Scholarships to Charlotte Mecklenburg Students
For the 2025-2026 school year, the Yay!DAY Foundation P.E.E.R.S Scholarship Program awarded a total of $51,000 in scholarships to students across multiple Charlotte Mecklenburg High Schools. Applications opened on January 1st, 2026 and closed on May 8th, 2026. Recipients were notified in the spring before the conclusion of the school year.
Congratulations to all P.E.E.R.S Scholarship Recipients! We can’t wait to see how you continue to radiate positivity in this next chapter!
Yay!DAY and the 2026 Men That Cook Event
Yay!DAY once again was a participant in the Huntersville Happy Hour Rotary Club’s Men That Cook Event held at The Venues at Langtree. Thanks to some awesome cooking by Chef Steve Jordan from On The Nines Bistro, the Yay!DAY team raised over $1,500 to go towards our P.E.E.R.S Scholarship Program!
Hough High Seniors Receive Yay!DAY Scholarships
On May 19th, 2025 Zoey awarded ten seniors with Yay!DAY Scholarships during Hough High School’s Senior Ceremony, celebrating the achievements and awards earned by the graduating class. Made possible by the generous support of Yay!DAY’s sponsors and our year-round fundraising efforts, ten deserving seniors received funds to help them with the cost of college, trade school, or continuing education.
The 2025 Comedy Night Raises Over $37,000 for Students!
Over $37,000 was raised on April 24th, 2025 during our 2nd Annual Yay!DAY Comedy Night at the Cain Center for the Arts.
Thank you to all the guests that bought tickets, made donations, and purchased auction items. A special thank you to Mayor Washam and the city of Cornelius for their special recognition of Zoey and The Yay!DAY Foundation. And, thank you to our very generous sponsors, Tacos4Life, Polaris, Showmars, Interstate Cycles, Carolina Premium Beverage, Tito's, Truist Bank, and On The Nines Bistro. Your support puts positivity into action and funds the programs and scholarships that directly affect youth in our community.
Yay!DAY Participates in “Men That Cook” Event - 2025
Yay!DAY was a proud participant in Huntersville Happy Hour Rotary Club’s Men That Cook Event held at The Venues at Langtree. With the help of Chef Steve Jordan from On The Nines Bistro, Zoey and team raised over $3,000 for The Yay!DAY Foundation’s Scholarship fund at this delicious event that featured over a dozen charities and cooking participants.
Not surprisingly, Chef Steve’s dish was voted the best of the event!
