Published in The BANAR November 2007
On September 30, Blackburn’s fifth annual community Run for the Cure saw over 150 adults, kids, pets and people raise a record breaking $22,470 for breast cancer research. People ran, walked and rolled the 5K course with pride and enthusiasm. Even the weather came out to support the event. The day was truly glorious.
“Thanks to the great community spirit in the Hamlet, the generosity of our business people, and a hard-working committee, the local Run for the Cure keeps getting bigger and better every year,” said organizing committee chair, Lynn Sewell. “Again this year, due to our partnership with Freedom 55 Financial, $6,000 raised by its employees and supporters will be matched by Freedom 55 Financial, resulting in an overall total of over $20,000. Some folks like the atmosphere of the big event downtown, and that’s great, but we’ve shown there are many who like the community feeling of our Run. We were delighted to see a large group from Changes for Women at 2062 Innes Road join us this year. The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation benefits from all of this.” It was especially inspiring to see several pink t-shirts among the crowd, signifying breast cancer survivors.
Participants were treated to refreshments compliments of Loeb Blackburn Hamlet before the Run, and to a great spread of pastries and fruit afterwards, supplied by the Blackburn Arms Pub Restaurant. The thirsty participants also enjoyed water from Shoppers Drug Mart.
The raffle produced about four dozen great prizes and raised some $600, thanks to the generosity of the following: Blackburn Shoppes Dental Centre, Queens Pharmacy, J&S Service Station, Subway, Joe’s Barber Shop, Lyn Novak Flowers, Think Travel Limited, Dr. Sati, Jumbo Restaurant, Hon. Royal Galipeau, Blackburn Chiropractor, Blackburn Animal Hospital, Bearbrook Dental, Blackburn Pharmacy, Dr. Bruce Harfield, Bunning & Farnand, Video flicks, City of Ottawa, Changes for Women, Blackburn Physiotherapy, Hair Alive Salon, Imilio’s Pizza, Spic & Span Cleaners, Unisex Hair and Nails, Children’s Welcome Centre, Joe’s Auto Repair, Shane Silva of Exit Realty, Sharlene Giuliani of Mary Kay, and Blackburn Barber Shop. Innes Ward Councillor Rainer Bloess also contributed numerous raffle prizes.
As is the tradition, Rainer again acted as the starter for the event, this time assisted by Phil McNeely, MPP. A new feature was the assembling of most participants on the grass outside the community centre for a group photo.
We are most grateful to webmaster, Helen Rosseau, (www.blackburnhamlet.ca) for her untiring work in keeping our event coverage up to date, and the vast number of pictures she took. We appreciate the coverage in the Banar, thanks to editor Evelyn Budd.
Blackburn Hamlet residents and others can look forward to another Run for the Cure next October 5, 2008, as we fight to overcome this terrible disease that affects one in eight Canadian women.