DO IT FOR DAD RAISES MORE THAN $33,000 TO FIGHT PROSTATE CANCER

The 15th Annual Do It For Dad Run & Walk presented by Interior Savings was a great success raising $33,372 for prostate cancer treatment and awareness in the North Okanagan. Event organizers, Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation and the Vernon Prostate Cancer Support & Awareness Group would like to thank all of the sponsors, volunteers and participants who made the 15th Annual DO IT FOR DAD such a success.“Every year we enlist the help of more than 40 volunteers, 12 event sponsors, 30 prize and entertainment sponsors and over 300 participants, to make this happen for men in our community. And every year, they do us proud,” says Sue Beaudry, Director of Development for Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation.The event took place at Coldstream Ranch under sunny skies with entertainment provided by the Kalamalka Highlanders Pipe Band, the Kalamalka Caring Klowns and Christine Turpin Face Painting. Runners and walkers were sent off by the by the siren of a fire truck from the Coldstream Fire Department.The top individual fundraiser was Marnie McKenzie, a long-time participant, who collected $3,065.00 in pledges.The top fundraising team was Doreen’s T-Bags, who raised $5,100.00 in pledges in memory of last year’s individual fundraising winner, Doreen Hourie, who passed away in February. Funds raised stay locally in our North Okanagan community.It was a family affair with this year’s race winners. Liam McGrath took first place in the men’s category. Tyler Rogers took second place, while Mike McGrath, Liam’s father, placed third.Of the female participants, a mother and daughter took the top two placements in the race. First place was Bethany Proce, with her mother, Linda Proce, taking second place, while Suzanne Larose came in third.The fundraising part of the race was off to a great start before the event took place. Sponsorships totaled $9,000, including $4,000 from title sponsor Interior Savings. Donations from three fundraisers held last year will be going towards this year’s event to fight prostate cancer in the North Okanagan. The Knights of Columbus Vernon Council 4949 held a ‘Grow it for your Bro’ event thatraised $1,410, while the Bean Scene raised $1,370 from their Movember Muffin sale.Hytec, a manufacturing company in Spallumcheen, contributed $1,442 through employee-led initiatives including hot dog sales, an auction, pledges and an ugliest moustache contest. “The team did it all on their own time, volunteering to organize the events and contests, and donated their own money,” says Chad Vecqueray, Hytec’s Operations Manager.This year, funds raised from the ‘Do It For Dad Run/Walk’ will provide free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests for North Okanagan men, as well as help purchase a ureteroscope for the treatment of prostate cancer at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men, (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) and is the third leading cause of death from cancer in men in Canada. About 1 in 7 Canadian men is expected to develop prostate cancer during his lifetime and 1 in 28 will die from it.Since inception, the ‘Do It For Dad’ Run/Walk has raised more than $321,000.00 for prostate cancer treatment and awareness in the North Okanagan.LEARN MORE ABOUT DO IT FOR DAD!