Bikers revved it up for a good cause over the weekend as the Breast Cancer Pledge Ride North raised thousands of dollars.
Held in and around Flin Flon this past Sunday, Aug. 3, the event saw 39 motorcyclists bring in over $15,000 to battle the deadliest form of cancer afflicting women.
“That is an awesome amount,” said Lisa Rogers, head organizer along with sister Paulette Wotton.
“It was a beautiful day and a great cause. I think everything went as well as we could have planned it.”
Funds were generated from a poker derby that saw bikers cruise from Flin Flon to Gyles Park and back, drawing cards at five different locations.
Shelley Andres, a local resident, won the derby with a ghost hand.
Collect pledges
Derby participants, most of whom came from Flin Flon and area, spent weeks collecting pledges for the ride.
Some riders arrived from The Pas and Saskatoon. One rider, a man in town visiting a friend, hailed from Sweden.
Aside from the derby, proceeds came from a post-ride social at the Rotary Wheel with Mark Conroy Band as the headline act.
All proceeds will be donated to CancerCare Manitoba and are to be earmarked for an updated mobile mammography unit that will be used for breast exams in the northern part of the province.
This was the second year for the annual ride, a northern take on a similar long-running fundraiser held in southern Manitoba.
In two years, the northern ride has now raised more than $35,000.
“We totally appreciate what our community has done over the last two years,” Rogers said.
Still, organizers are aiming for even more participation in future years.
“We’re just going to keep progressing and do what we can,” Rogers said.
