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Comox Valley Hospice Society, and local Cycle of Life Tour Team Comox Valley Hospice Cyclepaths have started 2021 on a high note.
In the Feb. 4 official cheque presentation ceremony, Comox Valley Hospice Society was awarded The 100+ Women Who Care Comox Valley’s first donation of 2021 - a cheque for $14,300.
Members of 100+ Women Who Care Comox Valley gather for four evenings per year for a one-hour meeting. During this meeting all approved nominations will be put in a Charity Basket and three ballots will then be chosen at random. The three Charities chosen will each be given five minutes to make a presentation and answer any questions the members might have in that time frame. The members in attendance will then vote on their Charity of choice, the votes will be counted, and the winning Charity will be announced. Each of the Members will write a cheque to the winning Charity for $100.00. The funds will be given to the voted Charity once all monies have been received within two weeks after the meeting with a cheque presentation and photos.
During a Facebook Live event Comox Valley Hospice Cyclepaths Team Captain and Comox Valley Hospice Society supporter Raida Bolton was drawn as one of the presenters for the 100+ Women’s January Zoom meeting, the first meeting of 2021. After an emotional and informative presentation, Bolton was thrilled and grateful to receive majority votes for Comox Valley Hospice Society and Team Cyclepaths.
“During each meeting I have attended I have loved learning about the diverse and impressive work the non-profit organizations of the Comox Valley do,” said Botton, a 100+ Women member. “All of them are so hardworking, generous, and passionate about their work. It’s very rewarding to help each of the winners.
“To be a presenter was slightly nerve-wracking. The stress of the time limit and wanting to make sure to share valuable, informative, information. Sharing my own personal story about why Comox Valley Hospice Society is near and dear to my heart. I really wanted to do CV Hospice Society proud”
Bolton’s support of Comox Valley Hospice Society comes from personal experiences. In 2017 Bolton’s father, after a three-year battle with lung cancer, spent his last few weeks under the care of Comox Valley Hospice at the Views. Raida was so moved and grateful for her father’s care during the time he spent at CV Hospice at the Views that she decided to share her story, and join The 2019 Cycle of Life Tour raising funds for hospice care in the Comox Valley. Bolton also convinced her friend Margaret Lam to join her on the 2019 Cycle of Life Tour. Late December, following the July 2019 Cycle of Life Tour ride, Lam herself was diagnosed with cancer. After a short, very brave, battle Lam passed away on May 28, 2020 at her home, also receiving hospice support, but in a completely different way than Bolton’s father.
“There are so many ways Comox Valley Hospice Society supports the people of the Comox Valley,” said Bolton. “In community hospice like my father, in their own homes like Margaret, in the local hospital, and also ensuring care for family members and loved ones by offering caregiver support and bereavement support.”
The Cycle of Life Tour, organized by Victoria Hospice, provides financial support and raises awareness for hospice care across Vancouver Island. Nine hospices across Vancouver Island are represented by cycling teams, including the Comox Valley Hospice Society’s team Comox Valley Cyclepaths.
After months of fundraising in their own communities, The Cycle of Life Tour riders embark on an unforgettable cycle tour experience. Traditionally the Tour would take riders on a two-day South Island group ride with an overnight stay on Salt Spring Island. Riders would cover nearly 200km, passing through scenic areas such as West Saanich, Saanich Inlet, Cowichan Valley, and Salt Spring Island. Thanks to generous sponsors, every dollar each rider raises stays on Vancouver Island to support their own local hospices. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Cycle of Life Tour looked a little different. The traditional ride was cancelled. Riders were encouraged to continue to raise much-needed funds, and then participate in a 200km virtual ride within their own communities. The 2021 Cycle of Life Tour fundraising has begun. Tour teams and riders are looking forward to hearing what the 2021 tour will look like while still respecting COVID-19 restrictions.
“Team Cyclepaths is excited to be getting going raising funds for CVHS in 2021,” said Bolton. “We’re always looking for ways to fundraise or would even love to talk with private or corporate sponsors.”
Bolton can be reached at raida@comoxhospice.com
To support The Comox Valley Hospice Team Cyclepaths, donations can be made to the team or to any of the team’s 11 riders at http://vh.convio.net/goto/CVCyclepaths
Cyclists can still join Team Cyclepaths as a virtual rider. More information can be found at http://cycleoflifetour.ca
For more information or to join 100+ Women, visit https://www.100womenwhocarecomoxvalley.com/
To find more information about the services that Comox Valley Hospice Society offers visit https://comoxhospice.com