Numbers Down for Breast Cancer Run
Saturday, September 14, 2013 @ 5:59 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The 2013 Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure is just three weeks away but participation to date is down and organizers are trying to rectify that.
Renee McCloskey, Prince George Co-Run Director, says volunteers will be out at the 3rd and George Street Farmer’s Market today to get the word out, encourage people to sign up to participate, donate or volunteer and to let people know there’s still plenty of time to get involved.
The CIBC Run for the Cure is a 5k or 1k walk or run. It is the largest single-day volunteer-led fundraising event in Canada in support of researching and beating breast cancer. This year marks the 22nd national event while the run was first held in Prince George in 2001. Last year there were 455 participants who raised $108,602. But McCloskey says “our numbers are down from this point last year but we’re hopeful that it just means that people are enjoying the summer weather and haven’t thought too much about their annual fall events, such as the run. We hope they’ll get their information in and sign up to join us.”
McCloskey doesn’t know specifically why numbers are down. “It is something that’s trending nationally, but we try not to get too worried about things until run day. And even on run day, any dollar that’s raised, the same as last year or less or more, is all going to find the cure so that’s what we’re focused on.” McCloskey acknowledges that there are more events competing for donated dollars each year. “Ours is an established event in Prince George but certainly since 2001 that amount of other events that have cropped up around the same time make it very difficult for individuals. You know there’s only so much disposable income and it brings people to a point where you have to make decisions about which very worthwhile cause you are supporting. So I totally concur that there is more competition for dollars that there was when the run first started in Prince George. It is very challenging.”
Registrations costing $40 are accepted right up until the morning of the run on October 6th. The only exception is for teams taking part. McCloskey says those team entries must be in by next Friday, Sept 20th, to ensure there’s enough time to have team names printed on the Run for the Cure T-shirts.
You can get more information on signing up, donating or volunteering at www.runforthecure.com
Comments
It is so pathetic that no media outlet can report on this “run for a cure” without including the bought and paid for “CIBC” within its title.
umm – thats the reason they sponsored?
For the past few years, I’ve been reading a few articles about donor fatigue. For various reasons, there’s a large number of groups with their hands out, but there just isn’t the extra money in the public pockets like there use to be.
In a story that’s semi-related, Abbotsford had to cancel its Terry Fox Run this year because nobody stepped up to run it. Abbotsford has a population of 141,000 and nobody, not even the City, came in to save the TFR for 2013.
Not having the extra money is one thing, nobody having the time is unheard of.
Charity is supposed to be just that..not an opportunity to entice new clients. Maybe if they paid their employees all the benefits they were entitled they wouldn’t be facing a class-action for being cheap.
Hardly the behavior of an altruistic company. Just pay your employees first then worry about funding a PR gimmick.
I would have thought that having a major Canadian bank sponsoring a charity event would be a good thing. I’m wrong again ?
Banks make a lot of money. So I understand. I’m sure the banks shareholders wouldn’t mind having a small percentage of their dividend cheques pinched. They should be as altruistic as any bank. Right?
As is normally the case, my initial post, which was quite clear, gets twisted to fit the simpletons who feel the need to respond in some form.
“Banks make a lot of money. So I understand. I’m sure the banks shareholders wouldn’t mind having a small percentage of their dividend cheques pinched.”
That’s what’s essentially happening when the bank sponsors a charity like this.
Some people will find something negative to say about pretty much anything.
As far as why the numbers are down, I would suggest the explosion in the number of non-profit groups and charities over the past few years has meant that the pie is simply divided up into more pieces.
“…sponsor the event”? How is that? Other than guilt driven employee plans pitting one branch against another with “volunteer” deductions from paycheques, what are they doing? I thought the money donated was raised by the participants?
Printing banners and shirts with CIBC in pink is not doing anything for cancer research. That is why participation is down.
Seen at Canadian Tire today…
The Firemen were doing their ‘fill the boot’ campaign for muscular dysrophy on the way into the store, PG Hospice House was selling their dream home lottery tickets just inside the door, and the university students were holding their annual Shinerama campaign for cystic fibrosis on the way out.
Yup, it’s a heated competition for your charity dollar.
They don’t know why numbers are down? That’s rich… It’s because this year, for the first time – fundraisers a must pay $40 to register to fundraise. In previous years, as long as you raised a minimum $150 registration was free – this year you pay to fundraise for them!
There are a lot of running events and when they cost $40 to enter, it gets expensive. Don’t hand out the bling or give out t-shirts, make the entry fee lower and more may come.
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