Class can’t return to session soon enough for a driven trio of Reynolds secondary students leading the school’s mighty Cops for Cancer fundraising effort.
As Reynolds has one of its own on the tour – guest rider and Reynolds vice principal Dean Norris-Jones – Grade 12 students Rebecca Tran, Erinne Paisley and Abbie Reynard have set up the Reynolds kickoff rally for the 2014 Tour de Rock Cops for Cancer this morning at Braefoot Park.
“We’re able to use social media to get the word and out and we’ve had strong numbers with 10 to 15 people at organizing meetings, despite not being at school,” Renyard said.
Regardless of the strike, Reynolds’ Tour de Rock fundraising team has been planning a full schedule of events.
There’s a 10-kilometre walk at Elk Lake, leaving from Hamsterly Beach on Sept. 21, at 2 p.m. There’s an ice skating night on Sept. 26 at Pearkes arena. There’s also a car wash, bake sale, scrap metal collection and bottle drive at Reynolds on Sept. 27.
“It’s hard because we are all really close with the teachers and know they want to be involved, because they’re very involved every year, helping us,” Renyard said.
“And if we (had been) in school, it would (have been) easier. It gives you easier options to meet and a place to advertise.”
Last year the school topped $100,000 in donations to Tour de Rock, but Renyard says they’ve tempered expectations with School District 61 planning to open on Monday.
“The kickoff should be a big event where we’ll have sign-up sheets for everything, information and speakers getting everyone hyped about the campaign ahead,” she said.
Teachers may be in attendance on Friday. That’s yet to be determined based on Thursday’s ratification of the tentative BCTF agreement with the provincial government. Results were not available prior to the News deadline.
Either way, Norris-Jones will speak and will be joined at the kickoff by Saanich Police Const. Heather Hunter, a 2014 Tour rider who also happens to be a school liaison for Reynolds, as well as 2014 Tour rider and Saanich Police Sgt. Jason Bland.
“If everything goes perfectly and we can hit $100,000 again, that would be a dream,” Renyard said
“But our hopes are $50,000 because it seems a little bit more realistic right now.”
“Cops for Cancer has been one of the most important things that defines Reynolds as a school, and this year will be special for Reynolds as our very own Mr. Norris-Jones is a guest rider is there,” Tran said.
The date for Tour de Rock’s official Reynolds visit is Oct. 2 or 3, at which Grade 9 girls typically lead the way in head shaving.
“Why the Grade 9 girls seem to do it the most I don’t actually know,” says Reynard. “I did the Tour de Rock head shave in Grade 9 because my nana passed away from cancer and my grandma has three different types and is surviving.”
To donate or view the full event details for the 2014 Tour de Rock Cops for Cancer at tourderock.ca.
reporter@saanichnews.com