Heather Latter
Teams of riders decked out in pink cycled from Rainy River to Fort Frances yesterday to officially launch the Riverside Foundation for Health Care’s “Together We Can” campaign to purchase a new digital mammography, as well as raise awareness about breast cancer and early detection.
“I think we certainly did what we set out to do,” said Jan Beazley, who is co-chairing the campaign with Christine Ruppenstein.
“[The bike ride] heightened the awareness, and we saw a lot of support from people honking their horns and waving as they drove by.
“And more and more riders joining in the closer we got to Fort Frances,” she added.
The event began with a pancake breakfast at the Rainy River Health Centre. After stopping for lunch at the Emo Health Centre, it ended with a barbecue at La Verendrye Hospital here.
“It went really, really well,” Beazley enthused.
“There were lots of people out, everyone was supportive, and the riders were enthusiastic and on time at each stop.”
She noted while some people made donations along the way, that was not the focus of yesterday’s campaign kick-off.
However, a number of cheque presentations were planned at the three locations.
In Rainy River, the hospital auxiliary there donated $15,000 while the United Church Women contributed $1,000.
The Emo Hospital Auxiliary presented $15,000 during the lunch there while the Townships of Chapple and La Vallee each donated $6,000.
And the Emo Lions Club, which was the very first to make a pledge back in the spring, handed over a cheque for $3,000.
Then in Fort Frances, the La Verendrye Hospital Auxiliary contributed $60,000, in celebration of its 60th anniversary this year, while the Fort Frances Lions Club donated $15,000.
The District Breast Health Network offered its support in the amount of $10,000.
“We’re just very thankful to everyone who contributed and showed their support,” stressed Beazley, adding there have been many more donations but these were the ones presented during yesterday’s bike ride.
“The communities across the district have been wonderful and it was a terrific event,” she remarked.
Now that it has brought awareness to the campaign, the “Together” committee will focus its efforts on raising the rest of the funds needed.
The Foundation is working towards the goal of raising $650,000 for the new unit, which is important to Rainy River District residents because the current mammography machine is more than 14 years old and needs replacing.
To donate to the campaign, visit togetherwecancampaign.org or call the Foundation office at 274-4803.
