August 27, 2009
On August 4, BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) paramedics, Chris Hui, Tom Venables and Terry Mitchell visited the Canadian Cancer Society's Camp Goodtimes along with other riders from the Tour de Coast. BCAS riders toured the facilities and then worked at the camps 'Casino Night'.
Camp Goodtimes, located on Loon Lake in Maple Ridge, is an internationally acclaimed and accredited summer recreation program that provides a unique summer experience for children and teens with cancer and their families. The camp is an amazing place, run almost entirely by volunteers, with all the funding to operate the camp raised through donations.
Camp Goodtimes provides an opportunity for kids dealing with cancer to become kids again, something that their disease takes away from them. They get to do 'kid stuff' with their peers and share their cancer experiences with other kids who have gone through the same thing.
After touring the camp Terry Mitchell said, "I feel lucky to have met these kids and am re-energized by their appreciation of what we do for them. I also now see that although many of the riders ride with the memories of a loved one lost to cancer, the kids at Camp Goodtimes should be enough incentive for any of us to continue our efforts to make the Camp possible."
