'Great experience': Tour de Rock riders meet with students in the Cowichan Valley
The Tour de Rock team was in the Cowichan Valley on Tuesday to mark day 11 of their 14-day ride to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society.
"The awareness that we're raising, and the children at schools learning what we're doing, it's a special thing," said rider Kenn Mount, Fire Chief for the District of Central Saanich.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, it's a great experience for sure," he said.
The team made stops at schools and community events where cheques and cheers were waiting for them.
Mount hopes the visit also inspires students to want to be scientists, police officers or "just to really give back to our community."
This year's donations will add to the $27-million that Tour de Rock has already raised over the past 25 years, which goes towards pediatric cancer research and to help send kids with cancer to Camp Good Times.
Island resident Kim Walters donated $400 to this year's tour in honour of her grandson who is now 14 years cancer free.
"The success rate now with children with early childhood cancer has increased immensely because of things like this where they can do the research that's needed," she told CTV News.
"Hopefully one day no child will have to go through this."
The tour touches a range of Vancouver Island residents and volunteers.
Support team member Simon Douthwaite's daughter survived leukemia.
"I'm really please to be here and to have the community support up and down the island," he said. "I just love Vancouver Island."
Riders are readying themselves for the home stretch of the tour, which ends on Friday.
CTV News will be live with the team on Friday, with riders hoping to raise more than $800,000 this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.