Corporal Michelle Huot has been stationed at CFB North Bay for the past three years, but this is the first year she has stepped up to help volunteer for Relay for Life.
More than 50 personnel were helping put up tents for the 18th annual event taking place at the Athletic Field located on Guelph Street at CFB North Bay.
Huot has even decided to help raise some money for the event and will be bringing the Under-8 boys soccer team she coaches with her for the festivities on Friday night.
“My U-8 boys, they are so cute,” said Huot, who also coaches a U-6 boys soccer team.
“They are full of energy they love to run around and have fun. This is a great opportunity for them to feel they are contributing to society, they are contributing to a great cause and their parents were very excited.”
The annual event has raised more than $3.5 million in North Bay since its inception here in North Bay back in 2000.
Gil Pharand, North Bay & Timmins District Canadian Cancer Society Senior Manager, says by noon on Thursday they had 46 teams registered and more than 300 individuals overall. He says that number will grow from now until registration which takes place at 6 p.m. Friday night.
“We know that there are a lot of other worthy charities out there so we appreciate people that are fighting for our cause,” said Pharand.
“It is important, everyone has been touched by cancer. Over the next while, one in two Canadians will be affected by cancer personally so this cause is huge and the research we are doing across this country is fantastic.”
Pharand reminds interested teams or individuals that it is no longer an overnight event with the event starting at 7 p.m. and wrapping up at 11 p.m.
Major Serge Palin is one overseeing the event from a CFB North Bay perspective. It’s estimated CFB North Bay lends $20,000 in kind and more than 500 man hours to get the field ready and cleaned up for Relay for Life.
“We have been doing it for so long it is like an annual event for us and it is truly an honour to help these folks to welcome them on the Wing, making our track available for them but altogether the effort is amazing,” he said.
