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10,000
KUDOS TO FOUR WHEELIN” WOMEN by
Andrew Ryeland For
the third year in a row, under the leadership of our own Nancy Ord, Four
Wheelin’ Women’s ATV ride has raised funds for the fight against
breast cancer. This
year with participation swollen by Spring Jam 2003, they raised $10,000!
This past week, a cheque was presented to the West Parry Sound Health
Centre Foundation and the monies went to purchase a special mammography
chair and furnishings for the mammography waiting room to add the
‘human touch’ to an otherwise clinical setting. The
idea of an ATV ride to collect pledges honours Nancy’s Dad, Hans
Sauer, who lost his courageous battle with breast cancer in 1998 at the
age of 58. Although breast cancer is mainly associated with women
it occurs in 1% of men as well. Through the annual ride Four
Wheelin’ Women is raising awareness that this deadly disease strikes
men too. Special
thanks to: Camp Koinonia for hosting the lunch, Delta Rocky Crest Resort
for donating $10 for every Spring Jam 2003 room sold, Bear Claw Tours
for hosting and guiding the 50 women ATVers and Suzuki Canada for its
second year of strong support. In
3 years Four Wheelin’ Women has raised a total of $15,000. Plans
for next year’s ride on April 24th in conjunction with Spring Jam
2004, hope to keep the momentum rolling. As the event grows so do
the various tasks and organizational issues. Nancy plans to
incorporate FWW and is actively seeking leaders that would like to join
its Board of Directors. If you have a passion for fighting this
disease and would like to take a role in a growing annual affair give
Nancy a call at 705 375-0900 or drop her a line at nancy@FourWheelinWomen.com
More information can be obtained on the FWW website www.FourWheelinWomen.com
. ROLLING
GREEN OUTS The
power grid failure of August 14, 2003 that caused millions to be without
electricity was a wake up call to more than just the need to conserve
energy. The blackout also reminded millions that they live in a
natural world that has slowly been obscured by our unrelenting march of
progress. People
abruptly detached from urban artificial comforts discovered some neat
things about nature and each other. Seeing stars in their skies
for the first time in years was perhaps the most common experience.
Camping out in suburban back yards brought unexpected pleasures of being
outside during glorious summer weather. Neighbours sharing
supplies, directing traffic and watching out for one another created
camaraderie not seen since the advent of the automatic garage door
opener. Governments
were quick to clamp down on energy consumption by declaring that all
non-essential work cease for a day or so. A sort of ‘snow day’
in August for adults! Dire predictions of rolling blackouts, to
allow the system to heal, caused hoarding of essentials like gasoline
and food staples. Scary! I guess we all need to pause, step back
and appreciate the wilderness that’s just an amp or two beneath the
sophisticated veneer we call living and prepare to embrace it every once
in a while. While
we have yet to experience rolling black outs, many in Georgian Bay
Country have come to appreciate ‘rolling green outs’. If
you venture into our forests this time of year the intensity of green is
overwhelming. Travelling on an ATV, the experience becomes surreal
as tunnels of green spiked with sunlight roll over, around and under
you. The wafting smell of late summer wildflowers, ripening
blackberries and warm pine needles mingle with oxygen drenched breezes
to create a perfect summer smile. To
discover how ATVing can put a smile on your face look up adventures in
Fun In The Sun or check us out by clicking www.psatv.ca
or calling 705 774-9778. We’d
love to have your company.
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