To the sound of cheering school children, law enforcement and emergency services personnel participating in Tour de Rock pulled into PEXSISEN Elementary School in Langford on Oct. 2 for a well-earned and memorable pit-stop.
Their arrival at the school marked day 12 of the 1,200-kilometre cycling challenge across Vanouver Island, also known as Cops for Cancer, which aims to raise $1 million for the Canadian Cancer Society.
The riders were welcomed by students from both PEXSISEN and Centre Mountain Lellum Middle schools, who had prepared a barbecue lunch to refuel the team.
But before they could sit down to eat, the team had cause to celebrate as PEXSISEN staff and students presented a cheque for $2,228, money raised by the school's community to support the cause.
As part of the festivities, Corr Marley, PEXISSEN’s student engagement facilitator, chopped off some of her hair with the help of her 16-year-old son River, a Belmont High student, for charity.
“Miss Corr looks so beautiful,” said PEXISSEN principal Karen DeCicco, who got a cheer in response from the school children watching.
Marley’s hair will be donated to Wigs for Kids, a charity that supplies free real hair wigs to B.C. children affected by cancer or other life-threatening illnesses.
“It takes about three and a half years to get the hair this long,” says Marley, who reveals this is her fifth time donating hair. “Then I cut it and donate it.”
Normally done at home without a team of enthusiast school kids cheering her on, Marley says her hair donation has prompted some thought-provoking conversations with students.
“I had a lot of kids come to me today and yesterday telling me my hair was long and beautiful and not to cut it,” she says. “So it started a lot of conversations around kindness and helping people that need it.”
Joining in on the fun was West Shore RCMP Const. Mark Hall, who shaved his head in solidarity with his colleagues taking part in the cycling challenge, and those in the community affected by cancer.
“Hopefully, this shows the kids the importance of community,” says Hall, who is also the school liaison officer for PEXISSEN. “We're all in it together.”
“You can do his back too,” joked Victoria Police Department's Sgt. Kris Greffard, Hall’s partner, as more of the officer's hair fell to the floor.
“It was a beautiful event,” said DeCicco in summary. “This was a way for us all to pay attention to each other and the things that matter in our community … there was a ton of energy out there.”
The riders are scheduled to finish their epic challenge on Friday (Oct. 4) in Victoria.
