On the backdrop of a warm sunny day at Woodlawn Regional Park, the 11th annual Estevan CF Walk raised over $18,000 for cystic fibrosis (CF) research. Many community members, who raised money for the event, showed up to walk the trails and shared stories as to why they supported the cause.
"It's been a super day. I am blown away. I can't be sure on the registration number, but I believe this is our highest year of participation. I think highest year of community involvement, just from top to bottom, from setting up yesterday to...tear down today. And it's just ongoing care, love, and commitment by committee, community, and family, and it's wonderful," shared Kasey McIntyre, the organizer of the event.
Throughout the last few months, individuals and various businesses have raised money in the hopes of 'Making CF History', which is the motto of Cystic Fibrosis Canada. The charity has been operating in Canada for 65 years.
McIntyre noted that last year was another successful year for her fundraiser, and she was glad to see it surpassed this year with the help of the community.
"It just gets bigger and bigger every year. The inaugural season [was] in 2014, and we're just blown away with where it started and how it began growing more and more. It's just a testament to people believing in a cause and wanting to be a part of it. And I like that about our community that we live in."
During her opening remarks, McIntyre's son, Liam, shared the significance of this year's 65th anniversary for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, which was represented by a bouquet of 65 roses. Back in 1965, a four-year-old kid was trying to say 'cystic fibrosis' with some trouble. Instead of saying the disease, the kid ended up pronouncing it as 'sixty-five roses'. Since then, Liam noted, it's become the spirit of the foundation itself.
Alongside many volunteers and participants, Estevan Mayor Tony Sernick and Estevan-Big Muddy MLA Lorri Carr were on hand to speak at the event.
"What an amazing event. Won't it be great for the year that Kasey doesn't have to get up here and raise money? Because all of the fundraising that's done goes towards that oh so important research that's necessary to ensure that we can actually make CF history. That's what Kasey's doing here today, fighting for her family and fighting for the broader community," Carr said.
"Every year that I come and watch Kasey and her family put their heart and soul into this. They fundraised practically the entire year round with one form of fundraising or another. So just thank you to your dad and your mom and everybody that gets involved."
Sernick echoed Carr's remarks, thanking the organizers, volunteers, donors and the sponsors of the event for making the fundraiser a huge success.
The walk itself was peaceful for McIntyre, who walked the full four-kilometre loop.
"Just a peaceful, wonderful experience walking through the trails. It was just a time to reflect on everything leading up to today. We start this off in February, and we go hard all the way through. And May is our biggest, hardest month, and I'm so pleased [with] everybody coming together in the end here."
Donors were treated to a nice breakfast and lunch before and after the walk. Shortly after lunch, various raffle prizes were handed out from sponsors of the event.