Students at Bellerose Composite High School in St. Albert have wrapped up their 22nd annual bike-a-thon.
“This is our signature event here at school,” said Bellerose teacher and bike-a-thon organizer, Mike Hutchings.
“I think students all year long look forward to this,” Hutchings said.
“The excitement the week leading up to it and a couple days leading up to it is palpable.”
More than 600 students took part in the 48-hour, space-themed event, raising money for the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Kids with Cancer Society.
“It’s important to us — one, as Albertans, to help out everybody that’s here — but specifically, we find our students are really tied to the Kids with Cancer Society, just because the stories that come out are of their own,” Hutchings explained.
“We have people in our building that are participating in this event right now that are going through cancer.”
Even though they’re sore and sleep deprived, the students know they are part of something special.
“The unity and coming together of students at Bellerose here is so amazing,” grade 12 student Cameron Collister said.
“It’s bigger than all of us, and we’re all contributing together, and it just it feels so good to be able to help.”
Last year the event raised $208,000. This year, students brought in $289,000.
That pushes the grand total over 22 years to near $4 million.