A total of 20 riders from the lower and upper Sunshine Coast managed to raise more than $80,000 for cancer research during the Ride to Conquer Cancer last weekend.
I have calculated the total raised from the Sunshine Coast participants as $80,444.92 which is massive, a communications coordinator told Coast Reporter Monday.
That total could still rise with additional donations that roll in during the coming weeks.
The community must be so proud of all their riders, said the coordinator.
Participants whom Coast Reporter contacted for comment this week were delighted to hear the tally and surprised to find out so many people from the Coast took part.
I think we just saw one other couple from the Coast there, said Sechelt rider Liane Hansen.
Many people likely took notice of Hansen pedaling a bicycle built for two with her husband Andrew.
We like to ride on the tandem bike because it signifies togetherness and that no one facing cancer is alone, she said.
All of the Coast's riders had their own reasons for taking part in this year's two-day ride that raises money for the B.C. Cancer Society. The common thread, however, was the desire to do something to help stop a disease that is estimated to kill 75,500 Canadians this year.
It's very empowering to be part of the helping. Because of all this fundraising there are a lot of cancers that could not be treated that can be treated now, so it's nice to be part of that, Hansen said. And everybody on the Sunshine Coast who has donated is part of that too.
The only down side of the ride was the shocking news that one of the riders, a 16-year-old boy from Victoria, was struck and killed by a car on Sunday while riding in the event in Washington state.
I think everybody was saddened by that accident, said participant Dave Sawley from Gibsons. But other than that, it's one of the best organized cycling events that I've been in. And normally the security, the safety, the emphasis on riding safely and all the rest of it is just brilliant. They're really good at putting the event together.
In total there were more than 2,600 bikers in the June 14 to 15 Ride to Conquer Cancer, and $10.4 million was raised for cancer research in B.C.
The Coast riders who took part were: Melissa Christian (Gibsons), Dave Sawley (Gibsons), Robert Newman (Halfmoon Bay), Natalie Clark (Roberts Creek), Leslee Cooper (Roberts Creek), Sherri Halliday (Madeira Park), Tim Howard (Roberts Creek), Isabelle Hughan (Sechelt), Kara McDonnell (Roberts Creek), Art Schmon (Roberts Creek), Andrew Hansen (Sechelt), Liane Hansen (Sechelt), Trevor Chapman (Sechelt), Peter Lietz (Sechelt), Scott Minch (Sechelt), Nelson Savein (Sechelt), Mark Wiebe (Sechelt) Nicole Bassett (Powell River), Nicole Doyle (Powell River) and Darren Mitchell (Powell River).
