Preparations underway for B.C. twins’ annual country music cancer fundraiser

It’s only Monday and there’s busy week ahead of prepping Cloverdale’s Bill Reid Amphitheatre for the big show.

Everyone is chipping in to set the stage for Saturday’s Gone Country fundraiser in the fight against cancer, according to co-founder Chris Ruscheinski.

”Probably 30 of the most amazing and loyal volunteers, slash best friends slash family going,” he told This Is BC.

“We’re very lucky that we have a crew that rallies for us.”

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It’s the ninth such summer concert in memory of Janice, who died of breast cancer when Chris and his twin brother Jamie were 19 years old. To date, more than $4.7 million has been raised for families impacted by cancer, cancer research, counselling services and more.

“It was really, really difficult to deal with for a couple of guys in high school,” said Jamie of losing their mother, who struggled physically and financially in her final days.

For more than two decades, the brothers have been raising funds in various ways, starting with a charity walk.

“He actually asked me to walk 60 kilometres and I’m like, can we just throw a party or something?” Chris recalled.

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Barbecue events in their dad’s backyard raised tens of thousands of dollars before their popularity outgrew that space.

“We had about 350 people out. My Dad was very proud of us, but he said, ‘Well done guys, but a find a new venue for next year please,” Jamie said.

Thanks more than 250 volunteers and many local artists donating their talent, last year’s concert brought in more than $850,000.

”People come up and give me a big hug and say they haven’t missed a single year,” Jamie said.

“There’s a big chalk board in the middle of our grounds that says, ‘What would you say to cancer?’ and everybody starts writing on it, and it’s a lot of tears and a lot of hugs.”

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Proceeds have gone to different organizations like Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

Jamie and Chris have taken on a number of different fundraising initiatives but the highlight of the year is this event, which they said their mom would have been very proud of.

“My mom’s brother is coming out this year for his first time,” said Jamie Ruscheinski. “I’m pretty excited to show him that his sister’s life meant something.”

“This this is right up her alley. She loved country music,” said Chris Ruscheinski. “She’d be hear year after year after year if she was still around.”