A Father’s Day tradition was another success.
The 17th annual Do It For Dad Run and Walk raised $19,359 for prostate cancer treatment and awareness in the North Okanagan Sunday.
“We are very thankful for the dedicated community members who help ensure the men in our community receive the health care they need,” said Andrea Egan, with the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation, which organized the event with the Vernon Prostate Cancer Support and Awareness Group.
The top individual fundraiser at the Coldstream Ranch event was Marnie McKenzie, a long-time participant and top fundraiser, who collected $3,001 in pledges. The top fundraising team was Grandpa Gord’s Team, which raised $770 in pledges.
For the third year in a row, Liam McGrath took first place in the men’s category running the eight-kilometre course in 33:12; Willie Moore took second place at 36:24; and Mike McGrath, for the second consecutive year, placed third at 37:13.
In the women’s category, Samantha Loewen once again took first place, clocking in at 40:31; last year’s third-place runner Timaree Wallace stepped up her time, coming in second this year at 41:31, and Katie Goulet took third with a time of 41:34.
The fundraising part of the race was off to a solid start before the event took place.
Sponsorships totalled $10,990 from sponsors, pre-event fundraisers, and pledges, including $4,000 from title sponsor Interior Savings.
This year, funds will provide free prostate-specific antigen tests for North Okanagan men, as well as help purchase equipment for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
Men participating in the event were eligible to receive a voucher redeemable for a PSA test. The voucher will be honoured at the Vernon downtown lab (3100 35th St.), Vernon Jubilee Hospital lab or Valley Medical Lab in Lumby until the end of 2013.
Since inception, Do It For Dad has raised $370,710 for prostate cancer treatment and awareness.