The Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock fund-raiser rolled into Lake Cowichan, Tuesday, October 4, to great reaction from local crowds.
Cheering faces welcomed the bicycle-riding police officers during their two stops in Lake Cowichan; a small part in their Vancouver Island-wide trip.
Local cancer fund-raiser star Matthew Kercher, 14, was called to stage during the officers’ first stop, at Lake Cowichan Secondary School.
“He’s one of our team. He raised a ton of money,” rider Steve Robinson, a part time Cowichan Lake area resident, said. “This is the hero on stage. You’re lucky to know this kid.”
This year, Kercher – a cancer survivor – managed to raised $1,400 on the spot, during a head shaving in Ladysmith.
At Lake Cowichan Secondary School, Grade 7 teacher Mr. Zimmer helped raise $173.41 by allowing students to wax a strip off his leg. The school raised an additional $289.05 through other fund-raising activities, such as a games day during the Tuesday festivities.
Over at Palsson Elementary School, students managed to raise $550; in part by taping principal Fergus Horsburgh to the wall, with students charged for the duct tape.
Deemed the “loudest school” by riders, the Cops for Cancer were greeted by the elementary school’s excitedly screaming students.
At Lake Cowichan’s Country Grocer, all of the kilometres between Duncan and Lake Cowichan were sponsored, and then some, resulting in a fund-raising total of $6,659.
But, this isn’t it for the fund-raiser. The cans are already back out in preparation for next year’s Tour de Rock cancer fund-raiser.