The Canadian Cancer Society has had a presence in Williams Lake since 1946 and opened an office in 1983 to serve the city and area.
The office provides information, education and support — including Financial Support — to residents receiving treatment for cancer and their families. On average, 20 per cent of all applications for Financial Support in Northern British Columbia come to the Williams Lake office.
The office is located in the Seniors Centre at 176 – 4 Avenue North and is open Monday through Friday 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Part of the office’s support goes to the fundraising initiatives that the Williams Lake community participates in, including the Daffodil campaign, Cops for Cancer and Relay For Life.
This year’s Relay For Life is Saturday, May 31. The organizing committee heard the community feedback and the 12-hour event will now be running 1 p.m. through 1 a.m. at Boitanio Park. The committee has planning underway and will have many activities through the afternoon and into the evening including its usual great entertainment.
Everyone is impacted by cancer in some part of their lives so everyone has a reason to walk. The purpose of Relay For Life is to bring communities together to celebrate survivors, remember those we have lost and find ways to fight back. Funds raised here remain in British Columbia and are distributed according to greatest need. Seventy-five per cent of all applications for financial support in Williams Lake were approved last year.
The theme for this year’s Relay For Life will be Hello Summer. Everyone is encouraged to don their summer brights, hats and sunglasses! Teams are starting to register and the early bird incentive for registration is a $10 per participant fee until March 1 (online) — after that, participant registration shall be $20 so teams are encouraged to register this coming week.
To register your team go online to www.relayforlife.ca/willliamslake or contact Dayna Betsill at 250-267-6536 or Kelly Ann Giesbrecht at 250-305-7701.
The organizing committee is still welcoming volunteers for as little as a few hours on the day of relay or to join in the planning phase right now. Next meeting is Thursday, March 6 at the Ramada — contact Michelle McKinnon at 250-398-7887 for further information.
Cancer survivors are an important part of this event and are encouraged to join in for the Survivor Lap at the relay. Please contact Kathryn Hadden at 778-267-0035 or Sue Tippie at 250-392-3688 if you are interested.
Michelle McKinnon is chair of the organizing committee for the 2014 Relay for Life.