After eight years, the candle has been blown out on Squamish's largest cancer fundraising event.
On Wednesday, March 19, the Canadian Cancer Society announced its team rally event Relay For Life will not take place this year. It's a sad moment for the organization, said Brooke Sherwood, the society's B.C. and Yukon branch's Community Giving team leader. Last year she ran the local event, making a lot of good friends along the way.
It is really disappointing. Squamish as a community has been amazing in their support, Sherwood said.
The decision came after the society couldn't recruit enough volunteers to form an organizing committee. Last year, nine teams took to the track in Squamish's relay. Those participants are invited to take part in the North Vancouver relay on June 7, 2014, in Mahon Park.
After consulting with many businesses and individuals in the community, we recognized it was time to take a breather and reassess how we can make event-based fundraisers stronger and more impactful for the community in the years ahead, Sherwood said.
This move isn't the end of the cancer society's relationship with Squamish, she said. A Squamish RCMP officer will be riding in this year's Cops for Cancer event. The cancer society also provides critical cancer prevention and support initiatives in the community, such as the Volunteer Drivers Program, Financial Support Program, access to Camp Goodtimes and the Tanning Is Out campaign.
We are not giving up, Sherwood said in regards to the society's ongoing involvement with the area's residents.
Squamish is full of energetic individuals who have poured their support into the society's various projects, she noted. Sherwood is excited to re-focus that support on future initiatives.
We look forward to putting our heads together with them to figure out how we can revitalize an event going forward, she said.
For more information visit www.cancer.ca.
