KELLY SHIRES BREAST CANCER SNOW RUN

KELLY’S MASK-HER-AIDERS 2021 VIRTUAL EVENT

22ND ANNUAL KELLY SHIRES BREAST CANCER SNOW RUN

Just as this issue of OSM is hitting the stands, our first ever virtual and 22nd Annual Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run will be taking place virtually throughout the whole month of February. As we continue through the covid-19 pandemic the team decided on a theme of “Kelly’s Mask-her-aid”. No need for explanations here!

The Ontario Event Committee worked hard to pivot and take on the challenge of hosting a virtual event and although we all cannot wait to be together at a physical event in the future when it is safe, the group will keep connected through may facets during the month of February. The team has also set up a virtual silent auction full of amazing auction prizes as normal.

The event will kick off on Saturday, February 6th with a virtual opening ceremony that mimics the regular opening ceremonies. The event this year takes place the whole month of February and is open to everyone. The event is an option this year even for those who do not snowmobile. Some people have chosen to participate by walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing – well, you get the picture! Using winter’s playground as a way to participate.

Registered participants will have access to special virtual meets and contests throughout the month, of course including a decorated mask contest. No charity event would be complete without fundraising and there is no exception to that this year. Thanks to amazing and generous sponsors the top three fundraisers will take home some amazing prizes:

Top Fundraiser – 2021 Can-AM Outlander 450 generously donated by Factory Recreation in Midland and Royal Distributing. 2nd Place Fundraiser – FXR Suit generously donated by FXR (Perry & Leah Curlew) and Royal Distributing 3rd Place Fundraiser – Sony 50” 4K LED Smart TV generously donated by Station Earth Total Home Technologies.

The event closes Saturday, February 27, 2021 through a virtual gala that will be streamed for registered participants and will include the announcement of our annual raffle winners! 1st prize – 2021 Ski-Doo MXZ Sport 600 EFI kindly donated by Factory Recreation in Midland and BRP, 2nd - $500 Gift Certificate at Royal Distributing kindly donated by Royal Distributing and 3rd – two-night stay at Hidden Valley Resort in Huntsville kindly donated by Hidden Valley Resort.

Chances are that you may have heard about this amazing charity in the past, but we would like to share our story with you. Close to Christmas in 1996 Kelly Shires found a lump on her breast and she did not procrastinate. She immediately visited her doctor and they determined right away she had breast cancer. Kelly was also newly pregnant at the time and the doctors decided it was necessary to terminate the pregnancy and began a whirl wind of surgeries and on-going chemotherapy. From the beginning Kelly experience firsthand all of the realities that come along with a diagnosis and treatment plan. Kelly wanted to do something right away to the help others in the same or similar situation. She immediately established that there was the gap in the system for financial support for those battling breast cancer and this is where the idea for the ‘Snow Run” was born, and that is when Kelly and Suzy Stenoff teamed up and launched its first Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run for fun in January 2000.

In its first-year people quickly realized the importance of this event. Much has changed since that first year, the momentum for the charity continued to grow over the years. Kelly’s cancer was in remission for a short time but then came back and this time also moved into her bones and liver. She never stopped her chemotherapy. There was no way that Kelly was going to let cancer stop her love of life, she fought back hard. 2004 was the last event that Kelly rode in, she wasn’t feeling well but she never let that get in the way and was always smiling no matter what. Not only did she ride in this event, she led one of the teams and at her last Snow Run she would

see it raise over $250,000. A big leap from the $10,000 raised just 5 years earlier. On October 31, 2004 Kelly lost her long hard battle with breast cancer but continues to be an inspiration to us all. Losing Kelly was a devastation to everyone around her, but it was also a lesson in determination, strength and that together we can accomplish anything.

During the past 22 years, this “small” volunteer driven charity, and amazingly dedicated volunteers have raised over $6.5 million dollars to help financially assist those with breast cancer across Canada. In 2010, Tracey Guthrie (who lost her battle with breast cancer in June 2016) and Suzy Stenoff co-founded an ATV event the TraX4bc ATV Ride and Fore the Love of Pink Golf Tournament were postponed due to Covid-19.

Last year the Ontario Snow Run event raised over $580,000.00 thanks to the hard work of our participants and generous Sponsors. Although the theme is “women helping women” there are ways for everyone to get involved. Helping someone through their journey takes a team of people from their medical team to their family, friends, and co-workers rallying around them with support – it affects us all.

Over the years the charity has grown and has helped thousands of breast cancer patients across Canada. Kelly had that something special about her, an ability to pull people together, to have a great time for a fantastic cause. In honour of all who we have lost to breast cancer, all of the courageous warriors currently battling the disease and in memory of Kelly, we are going to continue doing this Kelly style and that means “‘Dancing like Nobody’s Watching”.

To find out more about the event, register or make a donation please visit www.breastcancersnowrun.org

For information on the financial assistance program please visit: www.kellyshiresfoundation.org

Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run

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