By paNOW

Cancer awareness fundraiser rides on

Feb 3, 2018 | 9:00 AM

There is a small hitch to this year’s ‘Prairie Women On Snowmobiles’ (PWOS) ride – the motorists won’t be on snowmobiles.

PWOS President Kelly Kim Rea said the weather has not cooperated.

“Unfortunately, our route has no snow as of right now so that’s a little disheartening because [the women] know they won’t be able to ride cause we’re about safe snowmobiling as well as cancer awareness,” she said.

The event will start Saturday night with a banquet in Regina and the riders will set out in their own vehicles Sunday morning. They are expected to arrive at the finish line in Estevan on Feb. 9. The sleds will be loaded up on a trailer and hauled to each scheduled check-stop.

“We still make our route and make every one of our stops and everything else is normal, except the ladies don’t get to ride their sleds,” she said.

2023-24 Hardware

AAA Stars celebrate best of season with year-end awards

11h ago

Riding boundaries changing

MP Gary Vidal announces he won't seek re-election in next election

12h ago

Safety first

Safety concerns and tips surrounding discarded needles in P.A.

12h ago

Another prominent change this year will be the route location. The ride will take place in Southern Saskatchewan even though most of the riders are from the Saskatoon, Tisdale and Foam Lake areas.

“We’ve been at those place the last four years in a row so it’s getting pretty hard [for the southern clubs],” Rea said. “The clubs from the south have actually been requesting us to come down there and we decided this was the year.”

Over the past 17 years, PWOS has raised $2.4 million for the Canadian Cancer Society. Over $225,000 has also been raised the past four years for the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency to help purchase equipment for provincial clinics. Rea said she is moved every year by the stories of the women who apply and take part.

“They’re touched by the disease, either personally as a survivor or by someone they know and love,” she said.

Carla Hordos from Tisdale is among the ten ladies participating this year. She was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago and this is her first year taking part.

“I was 36-years-old and at that time I was really shocked and it really caught me off guard,” Hordos said. “I’ve always followed the PWOS, they have ridden through our communities in the past and this year I kind of felt I was in a position to help out.”

Hordos has received immense support from her community, raising over $13,000.

“I hope that during the ride I can inspire others to know that they are not alone in their journey, that there are other people who have gone through similar circumstances and we are here to support each other.”

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwel