The Revelstoke Relay for Life is not taking place this year, with a new ski fundraiser being held in it’s place.
“The Canadian Cancer Society has decided they’re going to change things up in pretty much all the communities in B.C. and Canada,” said Cheryl Fry, the organizer of the Relay for Life and the new skiing event. “It’s time for a change. It’s right across the whole board. It’s just the fact — for instance ours was 14 years in our community. “
The replacement is Slopes for Hopes, a fundraiser where participants will raise money and then ski or snowboard the vertical of Mount Everest – 8,848 metres. The event will take place Saturday, Feb. 28, at Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
Fry is organizing the new event. She said she is excited about the change even though she doesn’t ski. Still, she said she’s disappointed about the end of the Relay for Life.
“The disappointment is that we have done it for so long,” she said. “The people that I think of are the survivors. It gave something for the survivors.”
She said she will be inviting cancer survivors to take part in the day, even if they don’t ski.
“That’s my missing link. Really, that’s my inspiration. They are the reason I do what I do,” she said. “A lot of our survivors are older but I will be sending a personal invitation for them to spend the day with us.”
Skiing the vertical of Mount Everest at RMR would require six top-to-bottom laps, or 12 Stoke Chair laps followed by one top-to-bottom run.
People who take part are asked to fundraise in advance. You can register as a team or individual online at slopesforhope.ca.
Fry said non-season pass holders can get discounted life tickets.
