CARLI BERRY
news@pqbnews.com
The big bike was back for another year, raising money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
The highest fundraising team on Vancouver Island this year will get to place an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) in a public location, according to Tina Lutz, special events coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
"I believe that the highest fundraising team will be here in Qualicum Beach," Lutz said.
The Coast Realty team in Qualicum Beach exceeded their goal of $10,000 with $11,602.
In total, Parksville raised $10,453 and Qualicum Beach raised $23,322.
This year the Quality Foods team was riding for one of their own, who had suffered two strokes according to Ken Bowerman, store manager of QF.
As of June 3, the Quality Foods employee was still at Royal Inland Hospital after surgery.
"I think there's a tremendous amount of stories ... it never stops," Bowerman said. "A lot of our cliental are at risk."
"That's one of the mandates of the Heart and Stoke Foundation, is to save lives, promote recovery, and prevent disease," Lutz said.
The big bike rode around Parksville on
June 2 and Qualicum Beach on June 3. The winner of the AED will be announced on July 15.