Central Saanich first responders step up at Tour de Rock fundraiser

A pair of Central Saanich first responders are stepping up to help children fighting cancer.

Central Saanich Fire Chief Kenn Mount and fellow Tour de Rock team member Cpl. Pat Bryant, from the Central Saanich Police Service, are climbing aboard their training spin bikes to raise money for this year’s Cops for Cancer ride. The pair will ride nonstop for three hours from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on July 8 in the square in front of Peninsula Pizza at Central Saanich’s Pioneer Village Shopping Centre on East Saanich Road.

“We were at Camp Goodtimes (recently) and I think that was the real turning point for me,” said Bryant. “Getting together with those kids for a couple of hours, hanging out and playing games with them was truly special.”

Peninsula Pizza owner Rick Scott says having members of the Cops for Cancer team in front of his business at the busiest time of the day helps to raise awareness for Tour de Rock.

“Pat (Bryant) approached us and said, 'Let's set up some riders in front of the store and do some fundraising.' We, of course, said yes,” said Scott. “We’ve given them a venue and we will make a donation as well.”

“Bringing awareness to cancer, cancer research and fundraising, that’s pretty much how it works,” he added. “People in the community see us fundraising, they donate money and the research goes on.”

Bryant says he has spoken with a number of alumni riders from the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock and they have all said the ride is an incredible experience. He says the fundraising ride for children and families fighting cancer is something he has wanted to do for a very long time.

“I’m in the final year of my career and I thought this was a special way of going out,” said Bryant. “Just to give back to the community and kids living with cancer and its a passion of mine to fundraise for them and support them.”

This year’s Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock ride will mark the 25th anniversary of the fundraising event. It is also the first year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that a full team of riders will make the 1,200-kilometre journey down Vancouver Island from Port Alice to Victoria.

“It's the first ride since the pandemic with a full team,” said Bryant. “I’m riding with some incredible people, so come out and support the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock 2022.”

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, which organizes the annual ride, this year’s fundraising goal is to raise more than $600,000 for children facing cancer and paediatric cancer research.

Bryant says he and Mount haven’t set a fundraising goal for Friday’s event, but he's confident the community will rally for such a worthwhile cause.

“(The goal is) as much as we can get,” he said. “We would be very appreciative of all the funds that we can collect.”

The 25th anniversary of the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock ride starts Sept. 7 in Port Alice and wraps up two weeks later in Victoria’s Centennial Square on Oct. 7.

To donate to this year's fundraising ride for childhood cancer, go to the Tour de Rock website.