Nearly two dozen law enforcement officers descended on the Semiahmoo Peninsula last week, as part of closing ceremonies for the Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley.
After a stop at Southridge School early Friday morning, the 21-member team cycled en masse to share their journey with students at White Rock Christian Academy and Star of the Sea Catholic School before heading to events at two Coast Capital Savings locations, South Point Save-on-Foods, Indigo Books and Thrifty Foods. The journey wrapped up in Langley.
Cops for Cancer is an annual event to raise funds in support of pediatric cancer research and children living with cancer. Every year, four teams ride: one in northern B.C., one in Greater Vancouver, one in the Fraser Valley and one on Vancouver Island.
Tour de Valley was a nine-day, 800-plus-kilometre journey that wound through communities including White Rock, Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford and Boston Bar. Participants included police officers, border guards and sheriffs.
At Star of the Sea, students lined both sides of the school’s parking lot to greet the team. The riders cycled by the students, receiving countless high-fives and smiles, before sharing a message they hope will prevent more children from developing cancer down the road: eat right, don’t smoke, get plenty of exercise and don’t forget to wear sunscreen.
More than a dozen children who have cancer or have survived cancer were involved in the four tours. Locally, South Surrey’s Emmily Eckert – an ovarian cancer survivor – went along for the ride as a Junior Team member.
The Tour de Valley team included Surrey RCMP Const. Cory McGregor, border services officer Chris Rosenberger and White Rock resident Eric Mead, a deputy sheriff who also rode with Cops for Cancer last year.