Mike Daze seemed very confident.
North Bay's deputy police chief was referring to an annual fundraising competition that has pit emergency services against each other; toe to toe while raising funds for a very good cause.
In 2022, it was the North Bay Police Service that finished on top.
"I am really confident in our ability to win the competition, but it can't speak to tactics. I know there are a lot of ears around here that are listening to what we're going to do, so we absolutely have some strategy," said Daze.
See related: Pink nails and a worth cause
More than $7,000 was raised through the competition as part of the Run for the Cure event which raises money that goes towards breast cancer research.
To raise the stakes and help bring in more money for a good cause, the services agreed that the leadership of the services that did not raise the most funds would have their nails painted pink.
What started out as a competition between the North Bay Police and the Fire Department has expanded to include the MTO transportation safety division, Paramedic Services, the OPP and the Anishinabek Police.
For Jason Whiteley, North Bay's fire chief, the cause hits close to home.
"I lost my mother to breast cancer. I lost my grandmother to breast cancer and lots of friends who have lost a family member," said Whiteley.
Last year, Whiteley was humbled as he was forced to sit back while the North Bay Police Chief painted his nails pink as the North Bay Police were crowned fundraising victors.
Whiteley admits, he doesn't want to get his nails done through another pinkish-shaded police manicure.
"You know, that part's been fun, but, you know, he has to strategize about what's he going to do," Whiteley said about Daze's confidence in repeating as fundrasing winners.
"We don't, we are just going to simply do what we always do support our community and go out and raise money like we do every year in the fire services."
Melanie Gainforth, the longtime local Run for the Cure volunteer director for the event, says the manicure idea came a few years back as an event created by Rogers Radio.
She is excited to see who raises the most funds this fall.
"They're all a great group of people. Who are well organized, and also very, very motivated to prove each other wrong, so we benefit from that," said Gainforth.
