Participants in the upcoming Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley fundraiser received their official red jerseys Wednesday in Abbotsford.

The event took place at Northview Community Church and was attended by team members and representatives from the Canadian Cancer Society and title sponsor Applewood Auto Group.

Also on hand were Thariq and Nathan, both Cops for Cancer honorary members who are among the children benefiting from the funds raised.

The law enforcement and emergency services personnel from the Fraser Valley have taken part in an extensive cycling training program for the past eight months.

The jersey presentation officially marked the completion of the training phase of their journey.

RELATED: Cops for Cancer riders visit Abbotsford school to thank students

Tour de Valley sees the participants cycle more than 800 kilometres across the Valley from Sept. 21 to 29 while raising funds for childhood cancer research and support services.

The tour travels through Langley, Aldergrove, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Agassiz, Hope, Boston Bar, Mission, White Rock, South Surrey, Delta, Tsawwassen, Ladner and Surrey.

As of Thursday (Sept. 8), they had raised almost $254,000 towards their $300,000 goal.

Cops for Cancer first began in 1994, when Sgt. Gary Goulet of the Edmonton Police Service met Lyle Jorgenson, a then five-year-old boy who had cancer.

Goulet requested the meeting after learning that Lyle was being ridiculed at school because of his hair loss due to chemotherapy.

Goulet was so moved by the boy’s story that he rallied his colleagues to shave their heads in solidarity.

In 1997, the first Cops for Cancer cycling event, Tour de Rock, launched with a dozen police officers cycling from one end of Vancouver Island to the other.

Today, Cops for Cancer has evolved across the country including four cycling tours in B.C.

Hundreds of first responders have raised nearly $50 million through Cops for Cancer events.

Visit tourdevalley.ca for more information or to donate to the cause.

The 36 Tour de Valley participants are:

• Abbotsford Police Department – Const. Mary Bouwman, Const. Leah Garrigus, Const. Nate Perrey, Sgt. Kevin Small, Const. Kylie Thiessen, Const. Phil Toews and Const. Elliot Westergaard

• Delta Police Department – Const. Bianca Boyce, Const. Kimberley Loeppky and Const. Terra Schmuland

• E division RCMP – Sgt. Heather Lew and Supt. Sharon Toor

• Langley Air Services – S/Const. Chris Johnston

• Surrey Police Service and RCMP– Const. Patrick Bain, Sgt. Kathleen Darby, Const. Branden Klassen, Const. Chantelle Lidstone, Const. Karen Lieuwen, Sgt. Tara Nicholls, Const. Jeremy Pearce, Const. Mike Ronningen, Sgt. Sean Webb and Const. Gary Wong

• White Rock RCMP – Const. Emma Dyer

• Upper Fraser Valley RCMP – Const. Nikole Anderson, Const. Mark Janzen, Const. Jenna Moore and Sgt. Krista Vrolyk

• BC Emergency Health Services – Mel Dick and John Esau

• BC Sheriff Service – Philippe Lacassse

• Correctional Service of Canada – Sean Eno, Trista Laderoute, Morgan Nixon, Hardeep Saroya and Shannon Tou

RELATED: How Cops for Cancer helped one B.C. family’s childhood cancer journey

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