Nanna Lou, you can be proud of your friends.
The second annual Nanna Lou and Friends charity hockey challenge was held at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre last Saturday afternoon (March 20), with a fundraising wrap-up party in the evening at the Gibsons Legion.
Organizer Brent Lymer was thrilled with the event.
Lymer said the number of teams this year increased from two to four. Their net proceeds are estimated to be about $16,500 - $5,000 for the Sunshine Coast Hospice Society, $5,000 for the Wayne Gretzky Foundation and approximately $6,500 to the Sunshine Coast Relay for Life chapter.
There were participants from Gibsons, Sechelt, Roberts Creek, Campbell River, Mission, North Vancouver, Surrey, Squamish, Abbotsford and Las Vegas, ranging from 12 to 70 year olds.
"The day has gone very well," said Lymer in an interview with Coast Reporter during the final game. "I'm very pleased with how many people have come out to watch the games. I'm also very happy with the number of donations. The competitive level far exceeds what we had last year. That's a good thing. We had a lot more kids, families, daughters and sons playing with their mothers and fathers, which is really good."
This event was staged in honour of Brent's mother, Marylou Lymer, a three-time survivor of breast cancer, who continues to battle cancer on an ongoing basis. Nicknamed "Nanna Lou" by her grandchildren, Lymer has been an active resident of Gibsons for more than 25 years. Like other breast cancer survivors, she is an inspiration to those recently diagnosed, in treatment or in recovery. This event is designed to honour her courage and to assist in helping others win their battle with breast cancer.
When asked if the teams of families on the ice went with the spirit of the event, Lymer got a bit emotional.
"It's about my mom. It's about family and community," Lymer said. "The fundraising has been phenomenal. Given the state of the economy and other causes, we're thrilled with what we've achieved."
