Cops for Cancer Tour de North riders, supporters, and their Prince George RCMP partners gathered at the Alder Hills Golf Course on Sunday, June 8 for their first-ever charity golf tournament.
The event brought together police officers, community supporters and Tour de North riders as part of their ongoing efforts to raise money for pediatric cancer research and Camp Goodtimes.
Funds raised will also go toward supporting Tour de North riders on their more than 700-kilometre journey to Prince Rupert this September.
“The golf tournament is being held to help raise funds for this year’s team of riders, who will be setting off from Prince George on Sept. 12, heading towards Prince Rupert in an epic, seven-day-long journey that sees them covering over 700 kilometres by bike,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP.
Golfers and supporters contributed through registration fees, a silent auction featuring donated items, a long drive competition and, uniquely, by bidding on members of the Prince George Kodiaks football team to serve as caddies.
The event was supported by community sponsors, including United Rentals, Mr. Lube and the Kodiaks.
Riders from the Cops for Cancer Tour de North spoke with The Citizen, highlighting the significance of Camp Goodtimes and the services it provides to children living with cancer.
“So many kids, when they're going through cancer treatments, get removed from that regular experience. They can't go to camp, so Camp Goodtimes is somewhere they can go and be a kid again, despite what they may be going through,” said Cooper.
Another key goal of the tournament — and of the overall Tour de North campaign — is raising awareness about the struggles faced by children with cancer across northern B.C.
“Pediatric cancer — it's been said that people don't want to discuss it because it’s a difficult subject when we’re talking about children,” said rider Ron Gallo. “We have to have that awareness to make sure people understand that, unfortunately, cancer affects everybody at any age. This is an opportunity for us to get that word out. It’s an opportunity to make sure our children get the best chance we can afford to give them — to make sure they have a life of normalcy.”
Gallo also shared a personal story underscoring how devastating pediatric cancer can be.
“I’ve been doing this for a few years, and there’s a little boy that had Christmas photos with Santa — he looked happy, healthy, everything looked great. By the time the new year rolled around, he was headed to Seattle for chemotherapy,” said Gallo. “It’s absolutely devastating when you see a child turn like that.”
Gallo added that being part of Tour de North has allowed him to see another side of first responders.
“From my perspective, as a community rider, this is an opportunity for me to see a different side of the people we rely on daily,” he said. “I get to see the side where there is caring and compassion. They’re passionate about this, and that’s sometimes lost in the general perspective of what it means to be a police officer or first responder. What I hope people take away from Cops for Cancer is that we care as much about this community as anyone else.”
So far, Cops for Cancer has raised $36,606 for Camp Goodtimes and will continue fundraising through to their September ride to Prince Rupert.
