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Comox District Co-op supports Tour de Rock

Comox District Co-op managed to raise more than $1,000 for Cops for Cancer’s Tour de Rock
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TOUR DE ROCK rider David Thompson greeted supporters at Comox Co-op’s annual car wash and barbecue.

Despite a weekend jam-packed with popular events, members and staff of Comox District Co-op managed to raise more than $1,000 for Cops for Cancer’s Tour de Rock on Saturday.

When the suds finally stopped flying and the last hot dog was hungrily consumed, the Co-op’s annual Tour de Rock barbecue and car wash had netted $920 in donations. Once the Co-op adds its own contribution of two cents per litre, that sum will increase significantly.

“We’ve gotten such a positive reaction from our members, and even non-members came out to support the event,” says Susan Opheim, office manager of Comox District Co-op. “We had a really great turnout; it’s so great to see people making a point to participate and to donate.

“And the weather was perfect,” she adds. “We couldn’t have asked for a better day!”

While nice weather never hurts, Opheim says it was much more than sunshine that kept them smiling on Saturday.

“Cops for Cancer is just such a good cause, and that really is our biggest motivator,” she explains. “We’re out there washing cars and selling food off the barbecue, and the day just flies by. By the end the day, we’ve helped contribute to something that can make such a big difference in the lives of children with cancer and their families. I can’t imagine us not doing this.”

Since its inception in 1998, the Tour de Rock has raised more than $15 million for pediatric cancer research and programs for young cancer patients and survivors.

Comox District Co-op, which is owned by its members, contributes several thousand dollars each year to Comox Valley charities. Its annual Tour de Rock fundraiser, held at its Aspen Road location in Comox, is just one of many annual events hosted by the Co-op network of gas stations across Vancouver Island leading up to the Tour de Rock, which Co-op has sponsored for the past six years.

Each Co-op organizes its own fundraising event, and then pools the funds into a single donation. Last year, Comox District Co-op raised nearly $1,600 with its Tour de Rock barbecue.

The 2012 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock will be held Sept. 22 to Oct. 5. For more information, and to donate online, visit www.copsforcancerbc.ca. To learn more about the Co-op and its community involvement, visit www.comoxvalleycoop.ca.

— Comox District Co-op