Published in The BANAR November 2012
by Bill Horne
The first annual Blackburn Hamlet Cancer Chase was a smashing success. On Sunday, October 14, some 213 Chasers took to the streets and parks of the Hamlet to show they cared about defeating cancer in Ottawa. Organizers of the first annual Cancer Chase were thrilled with the response, and are energized for next year.
“Thanks to the outstanding community support, we raised about $21,000 to help the Ottawa Hospital Foundation in its support of the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre”, said Lynn Sewell, chair of the organizing committee. “We were so pleased with all the help we received from many local merchants, business people, major companies, and individuals who turned out. We even got a break with the weather, as the rain held off while we were out on the 5 kilometre course.”
There are so many people and groups to thank, it’s impossible to cover everyone by name. Please go to the community website, blackburnhamlet.ca to find Events Past and see the dozens of great pictures of the event, taken by webmaster Helen Rosseau. We had plenty of wonderful food and drinks for the after-event reception, thanks to our traditional supporters: Blackburn Arms, Macs, Metro and Tim Hortons. The raffle and the online auction were overflowing with donated items; everything from oil paintings to snow removal services. Huge thanks go to these community minded groups and individuals for their donations.
Special thanks go to Freedom 55, with their annual team of runners and walkers. This enables Freedom 55 to match the money raised by that team, up to $6,000, which is a huge part of the total funds raised.
The organizing committee and its helpers, listed below, thank all our supporters, and we hope to see you again next year. Watch the BANAR and the website for the exact date. We will have our wrap-up session at the Blackburn Arms in late October, and will come forward with plans for a bigger and better Cancer Chase in 2013.
Our team is as follows, in no particular order: Dannie and Bill Horne, Eric and Lynn Sewell, Sue and Paul Walsh, Jeff Macdonald, Kathy McFarland, Christine Greenlaw, Marty Dolan, Jasmine Gosselin, Andrew Greenlaw, Steve Chestnutt, Rainer Bloess, Paul Vanbruinesssen, Laura Thomsom, June Miller, Doris Budd, Bonnie Bowkett, Kathy Greenlaw and Sarah Landry with the Ottawa Hospital Foundation.