POWELL RIVER, B.C. – The wheels are set to spin as part of the 2018 Cops for Cancer Tour de Coast.
The annual event helps raise funds for cancer research through the Canadian Cancer Society and assists in sending kids battling cancer to Camp Goodtimes.
The tour starts up on Wednesday in Vancouver, and riders will be stopping by Powell River on Friday, September 21st.
Peter Gaiger is representing the Powell River RCMP in this year’s event.
As part of the event, each rider has their junior rider, helping inspire them throughout the tour.
“I’m told by the alumni that it’s quite a heart-wrenching event because you get to meet a lot of the kids that have been through quite a lot,” he said.
“They collect small beads on a necklace and they usually receive a bead for every procedure that they have, be it a needle, or an operation or chemotherapy. Some of the chains can get quite long, I have one and I have been training alone here in Powell River. I had the opportunity to go over and train with some of the Tour de Coast people and they were gracious enough to give me a bead for my training ride.”
Gaiger said having a daughter of his own makes the tour even that more special, and she’s serving as inspiration for him.
“The riders raise a lot of money for the purpose of funding children to go to Camp Goodtimes in Maple Ridge. It’s an opportunity for the kids to go and maybe forget for a little while that they actually have a terrible disease and that they have all these treatments that they have to go to regularly,” he said.
“To me, (with) being a father, giving the opportunity to a child to be able to go and be a kid for a day, is a huge (motivator).”
Gaiger said the community has been very supportive throughout his training leading up to the tour. He’s headed to Vancouver today in preparation for the tour to begin.
More details on the Tour de Coast can be found via this link. The tour runs from September 19th to the 27th.
