Oceanside RCMP Tour de Rock riders Jordan Reid and George Minshull are well on their way to reaching their fundraising goal following a successful event at the Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Club August 8.
Thanks to some generous donations from the community, the Cops for Cancer/Tour de Rock riders said they will be able to send at least three kids to Camp Goodtimes. It costs $1,000 to send one child to the camp that supports kids who are impacted by cancer.
Black Press, owner of The NEWS, is a major sponsor of the Tour de Rock.
A live and silent auction generated more than $3,000 at the event last weekend. One live auction item which fetched $1,300 included a private 10-course dinner, featuring a private concert by Brodie Dawson. The meal includes libations and will be prepared by Oura Giakoumakis of the Thalassa Restaurant and will be served by Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek and Oceanside RCMP Staff Sgt. Brian Hunter.
Giakoumakis has been an enthusiastic Tour de Rock supporter and has even shaved her head a few times to support her nephew, who had a long battle with cancer after being diagnosed with leukemia at age two. Georgios Bourodemos is now a healthy teenager, but Giakoumakis continues to endorse the annual Tour de Rock campaign, which raises money to help send children who are battling cancer to Camp Goodtimes. Next year, she hopes to raise $75,000 in just one day by putting on a music concert at the Arbutus Meadows Event and Equestrian Centre in Nanoose Bay. She said 1,800 tickets will be sold and for those who want a VIP experience, 20 pickup trucks with a maximum of 100 people will have an opportunity to have a private tailgate party with the band.
The next fundraiser featuring Reid and Minshull will take place on Thursday, Sept. 25 at the Quality Inn Bayside in Parksville. Tickets for the beer and burger night are $20 and can be purchased at The Bayside, Parksville Chrysler or any member of the Rotary Club of Parksville.