Fourteen-year-old Carly Carrier isn't spending the last days of her summer holidays taking it easy. Instead she's taking part in a sometimes gruelling 500-kilometre horseback journey all for the benefit of others.
Dozens of horseback riders, including Carrier, are participating in the Wild Pink Yonder breast cancer fundraiser. To date, more than $21,000 has been raised in Sundre as part of the effort, say officials.
“I really don't want my generation to have to go through what the past generations have had to go through,” said Carrier, who is starting Grade 10 next month. “If we can stop it now, future generations won't have to go through it.
“Sundre looks great with all the pink. Everyone did very well and I'm sure proud,” she said.
Carly said her family and friends have been very supportive of her efforts.
The Wild Pink Yonder riders were in Sundre last Tuesday, staying at the rodeo grounds, meeting with local residents and supporters, and enjoying a fundraising dinner and concert. Sundre is the halfway mark of the ongoing 22-day Wild Pink Yonder journey.
As part of the Pinkest Little Town in the West portion of the 3rd annual Wild Pink Yonder campaign, many of Sundre's businesses, organizations, residences and the municipality decorated their properties with pink ribbons and other things pink.
A local committee oversaw the Sundre pink effort, which also included painting hundreds of pink ribbons on town sidewalks (The Sidewalk of Hope), with people donating $20 to have their names and the names of a cancer survivor or someone who lost their battle with cancer inscribed on the ribbon.
During the ceremony at the rodeo grounds, Wild Pink Yonder founder Jane Hurl commended the people of Sundre for their efforts.
“It has been phenomenal,” said Hurl, herself a breast cancer survivor. “Everyone has gotten so behind this event. The Sidewalk of Hope brought tears to my eyes.
“One in nine Canadian women will get breast cancer sometime in her life and one in 27 will die. We want to change that. We want a future where our children and our children's children never have to face that gun. Thank you very much Sundre, you are wonderful.”
Committee member Karen Carrier commended everyone involved in the Pinkest Little Town in the West effort in Sundre.
“It's been a lot of work and it's been worth it,” said Karen, who is Carly's mom. “The local support has been awesome. The whole community has been great.”
Mayor Annette Clews, who was also on the organizing committee, said the outstanding community-wide effort in support of the Wild Pink Yonder shines a bright light on Sundre.
“The town of Sundre is very proud to take on this challenge,” said Clews. “We are all gathered here tonight in celebration and to take a stand for those who are fighting cancer and to honour those who have fought and lost and hopefully to stand for a cure so nobody has to fight anymore.”
Meanwhile, a group of local women calling themselves the Wild Pink Yonder Posse will be holding a breast cancer fundraiser at the Red Deer River Bridge on Sept. 2 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The women will wear pink bras over white T-shirts during the event.
During the “Taking The Bridge By Ransom” event, the posse will be soliciting donations from drivers travelling in both directions, says co-organizer Sherry Tytkanych.
“We are going to have the Wild Pink Yonder bucket and while people are stopping at either side of the bridge, the girls will squeegee the car windows,” said Tytkanych. “Some will clean car windows and some will work the stopped vehicles for donations.”
The Sundre fire department will be supplying water for the event.
Once the September 2 event is over, the women's bras will be collected and auctioned off at the Fall Fest in October.
“We will have a Wild Pink Yonder Wonder Bra Wall of Fame,” she said.
All monies raised through both events will go towards Sundre's Wild Pink Yonder fundraising efforts.
