Wawota was blessed with the opportunity to provide a haven and a meal for some brave cyclists taking part in the annual Sears National Kids Cancer Ride.
Coming out in fine style for the event, the community rallied together to prepare a sumptuous feast for the cyclists, who that day alone, covered the 213 km from Regina to the community of Wawota.
Part of an annual event primarily sponsored by Sears Canada, the ride consists of three heats of cyclists. By the end of the gruelling 15-day trek, it has covered the entire east-west length of continental Canada, starting in Vancouver and ending in Halifax.
Despite poor weather that had dogged the riders through the Rocky Mountain passes, the day of the Regina-to-Wawota leg (which was completed by team three) proved to be ideal for the athletes, making for an easy day on Sunday, Sept. 12.
"It was a cyclists dream," said team three captain Jason Morningstar. "We had the sun shining, the temperatures were comfortable, and the wind was at our back the entire way."
Morningstar, who hails from Sarnia, ON, is himself a father of a child who has suffered through cancer.
"My son Jesse was diagnosed with cancer when he was two-and-a-half years-old," Morningstar explained. "It really motivated me to be a part of this effort to raise money for research into what is an underfunded area of cancer research."
"Jesse has been in remission for a couple of years now, and is a normal five-year-old in every way," Morningstar said. "But anyone who has seen a child, not even their child, just any child, suffer through treatments for cancer, I don't think they can be unmoved by this cause."
Morningstar was one of two cyclists who were parents to children who had suffered through cancer. One other rider was a childhood survivor of cancer.
"We are all out here because we sincerely believe in the cause we are riding for," Morningstar said. "It is a really tough ride, and we have to keep a really hectic pace, but it is all worth it to support this cause."
Speaking further about the ride that day, Morningstar explained that the weather had not been that nice to them during some portions of the ride.
"The day two trek had us riding from Revelstoke to Golden in BC," Morningstar explained. "There was a high wind and driving rain, and up in the mountains the temperatures dropped to around 48 degrees [Fehrenheit]."
"We had to bike 1,330 metres uphill that day."
However, the 213 km from Regina to Wawota proved to be such an easy run for the intrepid riders that they arrived in Wawota nearly half-an-hour ahead of schedule.
"The wind was up all day," Morningstar explained. "But it was at our backs the entire way, so that really helped us along."
On the Wawota side of the event, management and preparation of the meal for the riders was looked after by Cathy and Steve Hamilton.
"We were contacted some time ago by the ride, to inform us they were coming through town," said Linda Birnie, one of the contact persons for the event in the community. "At first we were a little concerned about being able to put things together for the ride, but then Cathy and Steve stepped in and essentially looked after everything."
"Cathy prepared the meals, had the space set up for the riders when they arrived," Birnie said. "It was Cathy and Steve that went to the community to raise donations of money and food for the ride."
"The whole thing was thanks to Cathy's efforts."
For the riders, the warm welcome they received in Wawota was a reflection of the best spirit of rural Saskatchewan.
"Most of us are from big cities, so we don't really have the experience in dealing with smaller, rural centres," Morningstar said. "But the welcome we received here, the funds that were donated to the cause we are riding for, and just the warm feeling the people who have welcomed us here have exhibited, well, we really appreciate the efforts and support from communities like this."
To highlight the warmth the community exhibited, once the riders had eaten and showered, every one of them received a farewell hug from Wawota community member Heather Ramage.
"It is like saying good-bye to grandma," Morningstar laughed. "It makes it tough to leave!"
The Sears National Kids Cancer Ride can be followed online at the ride's website. Daily blogs and photos from the various stops are posted at www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com
The riders for team three include Jason Morningstar, Catherine Bancroft, Mark Burger, Scott Doran, Vicki Dunleavy, Harry Fediuk, Kirk Fudge, David Heaslip, Linda Kay, Martin Lacelle, Eric Mann, Deb Maybury, Jim Ritchie, and Domenic Valela.
