Ride 'n' Stride in the fight against cancer
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The fight against cancer is never ending.
And during the month of April – cancer awareness month, people step up their efforts, dedicate more time and raise more money towards winning the battle. No one knows this better than Bill Pratt.
As a member of the Tillsonburg branch of the Canadian Cancer Society for over 50 years – since 1960, Pratt has helped and contributed to a number of initiatives, awareness campaigns and fundraising events such as the Great Ride n’ Stride, held the last Sunday of April every spring.
“Now it’s call Ride n’ Stride. It started out as the Ladies Great Ride for Cancer - where it was supposedly for females, but the boys all dressed up like girls anyway and participated, so it was fun then.”
The event is now open to all people – men, women, young and old alike and has been shortened from a 23 mile ride, down to a 3 kilometre run, walk or ride, from the Tillsonburg Community Centre around Lake Lisgar.
This year, the Great Ride ‘n’ Stride takes place on Sunday, April 28, 2013 beginning at 2 p.m. with registration starting at 1 p.m.
“Marion and I have both been involved since it started – 44 years ago,” he said. “I’m helping with the organization, I am a participant.”
The event has raised close to $500,000 since it began and every year, the t raises approximately $10,000 dollars for the Canadian Cancer Society that goes towards such things as support services and research. Pratt said the Ride n’ Stride still plays a significant role here in Tillsonburg.
“It faded for a few years, but now we’ve got some younger people, under Melissa Boesterd (president) – there’s a younger group involved so it’s added new life to the branch and certainly to the Ride n’Stride,” explained Pratt.
There are trophies presented for the top individual fundraiser, the top family team, top industrial team and the top school team.
“It gives you a little motivation to compete,” he added. Not consecutively, Pratt himself has been recipient of the top individual award for 25 of the past 44 years, beginning in 1981.
“I aim for about $2,500 every years,” said Pratt. “Last year I raised over $3,000 – I get great support from my family.”
In addition to the Ride n’ Stride at the end of the month, the beginning of April, kicks off cancer awareness month with the sale of daffodil pins, which began at several local stores on Saturday.
“We hope that the daffodils will raise awareness of the ongoing fight against cancer,” Pratt concluded.
For more information visit or to register and fundraise online go to www.greatride.ca or call Pratt at (519) 842-4998 or Melissa Boesterd branch president at (519) 409-0422. To participate in this year’s Ride n’Stride, pledge sheets are available at Coward Pharmacy 165 Broadway in downtown Tillsonburg.