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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.