August 23, 2017

Page W4 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Thank you to our 2017 Tour de Rock Sponsors TOUR SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Trek Bicycle Store

MEDIA SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

Comox Valley ACCOMMODATION SPONSORS

Holiday Inn Express Comox Valley • Inn on Long Lake Canadian Princess Lodge • Black Rock Oceanfront Resort Best Western Plus Barclay Hotel • Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn Travelodge Victoria Airport Sidney • Black Bear Resort Hotel Quality Resort Bayside • Anchor Inn & Suites

T

he Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock is proud to say that together, we are the largest charitable supporter of childhood cancer research in Canada.

Thanks to your support, children’s lives have been saved and improved. Through research funded by the Tour de Rock in the last 20 years, childhood cancers can now be detected earlier, better treatments are available, and more children are surviving and thriving.

But there’s still more to do. Every year, almost 950 children under 15 are diagnosed with cancer in Canada, and cancer is still the top cause of death among Canadian children. Two-thirds of these survivors will suffer serious long-term side effects from their treatment.

Your support of Cops for Cancer over the past 20 years has helped researchers to search for new ways to detect, diagnose and treat childhood cancers, as well as reduce side effects as a result of their treatments. Your donations funded: • Sending more than 8,500 kids to Camp Goodtimes in the last 20 years • Dr. Poul Sorensen’s research on ways of targeting treatment for childhood brain cancers to improve treatment and minimize longterm side effects. Dr. Sorensen received the Dr. Robert Noble Prize in 2016 for his important work.

• Research that saves vision in many kids with eye cancer.

Doctors Gallie and Phillips discovered that the most common cancer of the eye arises with a specific gene. Their revolutionary work led to the creation of a worldwide test to detect and treat this cancer earlier.

• Dr. David Malkin’s creation of a screening schedule that saves lives around the world for families with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, an inherited genetic cancer disorder.

• Dr. Michael Taylor’s discovery that childhood brain cancer medulloblastoma is not one disease but has four different subtypes. As a result, treatments can be refined and helps spare patients from the side effects.

Thank you for supporting this life-saving research.

Help Kids with Cancer

BC Ambulance Service • U-Haul • Mercedes-Benz Nanaimo • The Bottle Depot

Donate Now at TourdeRock.ca

Atomic Crayon • Triangle RV • BC Ferry Services • Tim Hortons-Ladysmith • CREST CBI Rehabilitation in Motion • Victoria Mobile Radio • Artbox • Lifetouch Canada Old Victoria Water Company • Old Dutch Foods Printing and distribution of Tour de Rock feature generously sponsored by:

The Westerly News | Page W1

Your Tour de Rock Dollars at Work

SILVER SPONSORS

COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

To get involved, contact: Katie Crowe, Tour de Rock Coordinator kcrowe@bc.cancer.ca | 250-592-2244 facebook.com/ CopsTourdeRock

@TourdeRock and mention #forthekids

Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock TourdeRock.ca • Sept 23 – Oct 6, 2017

Page W2 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

The Westerly News | Page W3

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Events Calendar UPCOMING TOUR DE ROCK FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Thrifty Foods Celebrates their 40th Birthday with Cops for Cancer September 1 to September 30 During September all Thrifty Foods locations will donate $1 from the sale of every bag of Monster Cookies. Customers can also donate their 3¢ reusable bag rebate or make a cash donation at the till.

Campers Say

Eat Pizza & Help Kids at Boston Pizza Saturday, September 16 All Day

Thank You

$5 from any large pizza sold (including take-out/delivery orders) at all Vancouver Island locations will go to the Tour de Rock!

SOUTH ISLAND

C What is Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock?

T

he simplest answer is that it’s a two-week bicycle journey in which a team of police officers ride the length of Vancouver Island raising money to fight childhood cancer.

Since 1998, Tour de Rock has raised more than $22 million for the Canadian Cancer Society.

The story goes back to 1994, when a group of Edmonton police officers shaved their heads in support of a boy who had lost his hair to chemotherapy. By 1997, the Cops for Cancer head shaves had reached Victoria.

The local police wanted to try something bigger. A brainstorming session between the cops and the Canadian Cancer Society led to the suggestion of this challenging bike ride. And the rest is history.

A new team of riders is picked every year. The sacrifices demanded of the riders and their families over the seven months of their Tour experience – three days a week of training and fundraising on top of that – cannot be stressed enough. What is harder to prepare for is the emotional side of the journey.

The riders are paired with Junior Riders, children with a history of cancer.

The good news for these children and their families is that we are heading in the right direction. Childhood cancer survival rates are rising and treatments are less invasive and have fewer side effects now. There is a direct link between these advances and the efforts of the people of Vancouver Island who have embraced this cause as their own.

The Magic of Camp Goodtimes

BY MATT WEBB

C

amp. A simple, four-letter word — but to me, its meaning is profound.

Camp Goodtimes’ impact ripples far beyond the borders of the summer camp itself. It extends in ways so unpredictable it can only be described as magical. Camp bridges the age gap between a six-year-old and a 16-yearold leader in training (LIT). Camp is an unfathomable experience to anyone who hasn’t been able to witness it for themselves. But I have experienced it. I was that nervous six-year-old in a strange place, nearly lost in a sea of smiles and laughter. I was the mischievous 10-year-old strutting my stuff and pulling pranks.

I was the timid 15-year-old trying to find the courage to ask a girl to the camp dance. I was the confident 18-year-old LIT watching the younger ones live through those moments. And

through it all I had almost forgotten that I was the sick kid lying in the hospital bed. That is the magic of camp.

Three months before my fourth birthday I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer called Burkitt’s lymphoma. I spent the next two years at B.C. Children’s Hospital. At one point, I weighed just 25 pounds; they had to suspend treatment because the chemotherapy that was killing my cancer was killing me faster. Imagine going from illness and hospital beds, to the joyous, unfettered freedom of camp.

In 2012, at age 20, I had the chance to give back to camp and Cops for Cancer. I was a special guest rider for the Tour de Rock team (I was a junior rider since 1998), and helped Vancouver Island raise $1.4 million to send kids and their families to experience the magic of Camp Goodtimes.

All summer camps are fun, but few can make you forget about the pain, fear and anxiety of facing cancer treatments. Whenever I meet other camp kids, we reminisce about the “glory days” of the paradise that was camp. Most summer camps are a place that you have to go for one week a year, but Camp Goodtimes is the one place you have to leave for 51 weeks a year.

amp Goodtimes looks like any other kids’ summer camp, but this camp is a refuge for cancer-stricken children and their families. Run by the Canadian Cancer Society, about 600 children attend camp each July and August, without charge. It costs approximately $1,500 to send a child to camp and in the 20 years of Tour de Rock - you Vancouver Island have sent over 8,500 kids to this magical place!

Thank you.

“I would like to thank each and every supporter who has helped make this magical place possible.

Camp Goodtimes allows me to talk freely about how cancer has affected me and it was at teen camp last summer where I really connected with the other teens at camp. And without all of you this wouldn’t have been possible.”

“Camp Goodtimes is my home away from home.

This is the happiest and most amazing place I have ever been. It’s a place where I can wear a prom dress while eating mac and cheese with my fingers. It’s a place where I’m a normal kid. Here I’m not just the sister of the boy with cancer. I’m not just a member of the family that everyone pities. I’m Abbey. I can’t express the love and admiration I have for this camp and everyone who is a part of it.”

Camp Goodtimes is the place we go to meet the family we never knew we had, the place we go to forget the hospital and the treatments. It’s the place we go to be kids — and to a kid who wants nothing more than to experience childhood, camp is worth more than all the money in the world.

“We are so grateful for our time at Camp Goodtimes Family Camp. Our kids loved all of the activities and adored our host and the rest of the staff. There was such a safe and supportive atmosphere, and we have made lifelong friends with other families who truly understand this journey.

Camp Goodtimes breathed new life into our family after a tough year. THANK YOU!”

That’s the reason Camp Goodtimes exists — and its existence is due, in large part, to money raised through the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock.

“I love camp, it’s my second home. Something magical happens there... We meet as strangers, but leave as family. It only takes six sleeps, but the feelings last forever.”

Tour de Rock Zumba at WZ Latin Party Fitness Sunday, September 10 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“This summer was our first experience at Camp Goodtimes. Lizzie’s treatment prevented us from attending the last two years. We knew that we would have a great time there as a family, but we were completely overwhelmed by the support, emotion, friendship, caring and intimacy that we were exposed to. What touched us most was that the hosts, volunteers and leadership team wanted to be a part of our journey. We learned a lot about ourselves, our strength and our family. Thank you for this opportunity!”

“A big thank you for providing our family with such a wonderful experience at Family Camp at Camp Goodtimes. After a rough year, it really was one of the greatest gifts we could have received.”

“I never knew that I could go to a place so beautiful, where every conversation was so easy because all of my fellow participants understand what I’ve been through. The loneliness that goes with being the parent of an oncology patient is something awful… our friends and loved ones are empathetic, but they do not truly know how we feel.

Camp Goodtimes is a place where I was surrounded by nature in her finest glory, by participants with whom conversation came easily, relationships formed quickly between parents AND children, and also, by a staff of people who all care that we had a wonderful time. Thank you!”

Entry by donation. All ages welcome. Contact Celine Hall at 250.413.7213 or at celine@westshorezumba.com.

Jail & Bail at Hillside Centre in Victoria Friday, September 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Get busted for the cause! Check TourdeRock.ca or contact diana.zinck@ bc.cancer.ca for details.

Greater Victoria Bottle Drive August & September at Bottle Depot Locations

Take all your bottles to your local Bottle Depot’s donation bin! All funds support Tour de Rock. Visit bottledepot.

MID ISLAND

Loggers Sport Exhibition in Ladysmith Sunday, September 3 at 2 p.m.

Loggers sports, concession and fun for the whole family at Transfer Beach Amphitheatre. By donation.

Hoedown to Slow Down Cancer Saturday, September 16 from 7 p.m. to late

Ucluelet Community Centre. $20/ticket, available at Ucluelet RCMP.

Garage Sale at 49th Parallel General Store in Chemainus Ongoing – 7 days a week

Take a look at the large selection of goods at the General Store at 2835 Oak St.

NORTH ISLAND

Oyster River Volunteer Fire Dept. Head Shaves Saturday, August 26 at 12 p.m.

Black Creek General Store. Contact Ron at 250-337-8121.

Send a Kid to Camp

Donate at TourdeRock.ca

Cups for Cancer Saddles & Sapphires Boot Stompin’ Hootenanny Saturday, September 16 at 6 p.m.

Dinner & Dance at Campbell River Eagles’ Hall with the County Line!

Tickets $45 or table of 8 for $325 available at A Cut Above or Ridgerider Western Store.

Union Bay Tour de Rock Garage Sale Sunday, September 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Union Bay Community Hall basement. Contact Donna at 250-335-2147.

For a complete listing of all upcoming Tour de Rock fundraising events visit TourdeRock.ca

Page W2 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

The Westerly News | Page W3

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Events Calendar UPCOMING TOUR DE ROCK FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Thrifty Foods Celebrates their 40th Birthday with Cops for Cancer September 1 to September 30 During September all Thrifty Foods locations will donate $1 from the sale of every bag of Monster Cookies. Customers can also donate their 3¢ reusable bag rebate or make a cash donation at the till.

Campers Say

Eat Pizza & Help Kids at Boston Pizza Saturday, September 16 All Day

Thank You

$5 from any large pizza sold (including take-out/delivery orders) at all Vancouver Island locations will go to the Tour de Rock!

SOUTH ISLAND

C What is Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock?

T

he simplest answer is that it’s a two-week bicycle journey in which a team of police officers ride the length of Vancouver Island raising money to fight childhood cancer.

Since 1998, Tour de Rock has raised more than $22 million for the Canadian Cancer Society.

The story goes back to 1994, when a group of Edmonton police officers shaved their heads in support of a boy who had lost his hair to chemotherapy. By 1997, the Cops for Cancer head shaves had reached Victoria.

The local police wanted to try something bigger. A brainstorming session between the cops and the Canadian Cancer Society led to the suggestion of this challenging bike ride. And the rest is history.

A new team of riders is picked every year. The sacrifices demanded of the riders and their families over the seven months of their Tour experience – three days a week of training and fundraising on top of that – cannot be stressed enough. What is harder to prepare for is the emotional side of the journey.

The riders are paired with Junior Riders, children with a history of cancer.

The good news for these children and their families is that we are heading in the right direction. Childhood cancer survival rates are rising and treatments are less invasive and have fewer side effects now. There is a direct link between these advances and the efforts of the people of Vancouver Island who have embraced this cause as their own.

The Magic of Camp Goodtimes

BY MATT WEBB

C

amp. A simple, four-letter word — but to me, its meaning is profound.

Camp Goodtimes’ impact ripples far beyond the borders of the summer camp itself. It extends in ways so unpredictable it can only be described as magical. Camp bridges the age gap between a six-year-old and a 16-yearold leader in training (LIT). Camp is an unfathomable experience to anyone who hasn’t been able to witness it for themselves. But I have experienced it. I was that nervous six-year-old in a strange place, nearly lost in a sea of smiles and laughter. I was the mischievous 10-year-old strutting my stuff and pulling pranks.

I was the timid 15-year-old trying to find the courage to ask a girl to the camp dance. I was the confident 18-year-old LIT watching the younger ones live through those moments. And

through it all I had almost forgotten that I was the sick kid lying in the hospital bed. That is the magic of camp.

Three months before my fourth birthday I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer called Burkitt’s lymphoma. I spent the next two years at B.C. Children’s Hospital. At one point, I weighed just 25 pounds; they had to suspend treatment because the chemotherapy that was killing my cancer was killing me faster. Imagine going from illness and hospital beds, to the joyous, unfettered freedom of camp.

In 2012, at age 20, I had the chance to give back to camp and Cops for Cancer. I was a special guest rider for the Tour de Rock team (I was a junior rider since 1998), and helped Vancouver Island raise $1.4 million to send kids and their families to experience the magic of Camp Goodtimes.

All summer camps are fun, but few can make you forget about the pain, fear and anxiety of facing cancer treatments. Whenever I meet other camp kids, we reminisce about the “glory days” of the paradise that was camp. Most summer camps are a place that you have to go for one week a year, but Camp Goodtimes is the one place you have to leave for 51 weeks a year.

amp Goodtimes looks like any other kids’ summer camp, but this camp is a refuge for cancer-stricken children and their families. Run by the Canadian Cancer Society, about 600 children attend camp each July and August, without charge. It costs approximately $1,500 to send a child to camp and in the 20 years of Tour de Rock - you Vancouver Island have sent over 8,500 kids to this magical place!

Thank you.

“I would like to thank each and every supporter who has helped make this magical place possible.

Camp Goodtimes allows me to talk freely about how cancer has affected me and it was at teen camp last summer where I really connected with the other teens at camp. And without all of you this wouldn’t have been possible.”

“Camp Goodtimes is my home away from home.

This is the happiest and most amazing place I have ever been. It’s a place where I can wear a prom dress while eating mac and cheese with my fingers. It’s a place where I’m a normal kid. Here I’m not just the sister of the boy with cancer. I’m not just a member of the family that everyone pities. I’m Abbey. I can’t express the love and admiration I have for this camp and everyone who is a part of it.”

Camp Goodtimes is the place we go to meet the family we never knew we had, the place we go to forget the hospital and the treatments. It’s the place we go to be kids — and to a kid who wants nothing more than to experience childhood, camp is worth more than all the money in the world.

“We are so grateful for our time at Camp Goodtimes Family Camp. Our kids loved all of the activities and adored our host and the rest of the staff. There was such a safe and supportive atmosphere, and we have made lifelong friends with other families who truly understand this journey.

Camp Goodtimes breathed new life into our family after a tough year. THANK YOU!”

That’s the reason Camp Goodtimes exists — and its existence is due, in large part, to money raised through the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock.

“I love camp, it’s my second home. Something magical happens there... We meet as strangers, but leave as family. It only takes six sleeps, but the feelings last forever.”

Tour de Rock Zumba at WZ Latin Party Fitness Sunday, September 10 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“This summer was our first experience at Camp Goodtimes. Lizzie’s treatment prevented us from attending the last two years. We knew that we would have a great time there as a family, but we were completely overwhelmed by the support, emotion, friendship, caring and intimacy that we were exposed to. What touched us most was that the hosts, volunteers and leadership team wanted to be a part of our journey. We learned a lot about ourselves, our strength and our family. Thank you for this opportunity!”

“A big thank you for providing our family with such a wonderful experience at Family Camp at Camp Goodtimes. After a rough year, it really was one of the greatest gifts we could have received.”

“I never knew that I could go to a place so beautiful, where every conversation was so easy because all of my fellow participants understand what I’ve been through. The loneliness that goes with being the parent of an oncology patient is something awful… our friends and loved ones are empathetic, but they do not truly know how we feel.

Camp Goodtimes is a place where I was surrounded by nature in her finest glory, by participants with whom conversation came easily, relationships formed quickly between parents AND children, and also, by a staff of people who all care that we had a wonderful time. Thank you!”

Entry by donation. All ages welcome. Contact Celine Hall at 250.413.7213 or at celine@westshorezumba.com.

Jail & Bail at Hillside Centre in Victoria Friday, September 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Get busted for the cause! Check TourdeRock.ca or contact diana.zinck@ bc.cancer.ca for details.

Greater Victoria Bottle Drive August & September at Bottle Depot Locations

Take all your bottles to your local Bottle Depot’s donation bin! All funds support Tour de Rock. Visit bottledepot.

MID ISLAND

Loggers Sport Exhibition in Ladysmith Sunday, September 3 at 2 p.m.

Loggers sports, concession and fun for the whole family at Transfer Beach Amphitheatre. By donation.

Hoedown to Slow Down Cancer Saturday, September 16 from 7 p.m. to late

Ucluelet Community Centre. $20/ticket, available at Ucluelet RCMP.

Garage Sale at 49th Parallel General Store in Chemainus Ongoing – 7 days a week

Take a look at the large selection of goods at the General Store at 2835 Oak St.

NORTH ISLAND

Oyster River Volunteer Fire Dept. Head Shaves Saturday, August 26 at 12 p.m.

Black Creek General Store. Contact Ron at 250-337-8121.

Send a Kid to Camp

Donate at TourdeRock.ca

Cups for Cancer Saddles & Sapphires Boot Stompin’ Hootenanny Saturday, September 16 at 6 p.m.

Dinner & Dance at Campbell River Eagles’ Hall with the County Line!

Tickets $45 or table of 8 for $325 available at A Cut Above or Ridgerider Western Store.

Union Bay Tour de Rock Garage Sale Sunday, September 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Union Bay Community Hall basement. Contact Donna at 250-335-2147.

For a complete listing of all upcoming Tour de Rock fundraising events visit TourdeRock.ca

Page W4 | The Westerly News

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Thank you to our 2017 Tour de Rock Sponsors TOUR SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Trek Bicycle Store

MEDIA SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

Comox Valley ACCOMMODATION SPONSORS

Holiday Inn Express Comox Valley • Inn on Long Lake Canadian Princess Lodge • Black Rock Oceanfront Resort Best Western Plus Barclay Hotel • Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn Travelodge Victoria Airport Sidney • Black Bear Resort Hotel Quality Resort Bayside • Anchor Inn & Suites

T

he Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock is proud to say that together, we are the largest charitable supporter of childhood cancer research in Canada.

Thanks to your support, children’s lives have been saved and improved. Through research funded by the Tour de Rock in the last 20 years, childhood cancers can now be detected earlier, better treatments are available, and more children are surviving and thriving.

But there’s still more to do. Every year, almost 950 children under 15 are diagnosed with cancer in Canada, and cancer is still the top cause of death among Canadian children. Two-thirds of these survivors will suffer serious long-term side effects from their treatment.

Your support of Cops for Cancer over the past 20 years has helped researchers to search for new ways to detect, diagnose and treat childhood cancers, as well as reduce side effects as a result of their treatments. Your donations funded: • Sending more than 8,500 kids to Camp Goodtimes in the last 20 years • Dr. Poul Sorensen’s research on ways of targeting treatment for childhood brain cancers to improve treatment and minimize longterm side effects. Dr. Sorensen received the Dr. Robert Noble Prize in 2016 for his important work.

• Research that saves vision in many kids with eye cancer.

Doctors Gallie and Phillips discovered that the most common cancer of the eye arises with a specific gene. Their revolutionary work led to the creation of a worldwide test to detect and treat this cancer earlier.

• Dr. David Malkin’s creation of a screening schedule that saves lives around the world for families with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, an inherited genetic cancer disorder.

• Dr. Michael Taylor’s discovery that childhood brain cancer medulloblastoma is not one disease but has four different subtypes. As a result, treatments can be refined and helps spare patients from the side effects.

Thank you for supporting this life-saving research.

Help Kids with Cancer

BC Ambulance Service • U-Haul • Mercedes-Benz Nanaimo • The Bottle Depot

Donate Now at TourdeRock.ca

Atomic Crayon • Triangle RV • BC Ferry Services • Tim Hortons-Ladysmith • CREST CBI Rehabilitation in Motion • Victoria Mobile Radio • Artbox • Lifetouch Canada Old Victoria Water Company • Old Dutch Foods Printing and distribution of Tour de Rock feature generously sponsored by:

The Westerly News | Page W1

Your Tour de Rock Dollars at Work

SILVER SPONSORS

COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

To get involved, contact: Katie Crowe, Tour de Rock Coordinator kcrowe@bc.cancer.ca | 250-592-2244 facebook.com/ CopsTourdeRock

@TourdeRock and mention #forthekids

Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock TourdeRock.ca • Sept 23 – Oct 6, 2017