Organizers of Ryder Hesjedal’s annual Tour de Victoria cycling event are looking for close to 500 volunteers.
The ride, now in its third year, takes place Sept. 22. More than 2,500 riders are expected.
The majority of the positions available are for road marshals during the ride, which will require about 220 marshals over the 140-kilometre route through 12 municipalities. Volunteers are also needed to help with set-up, pre-ride package pickup and food areas.
No cycling experience is needed to be a volunteer. For more information, go to tourdevictoria.com/volunteers.
Local cycling news also includes the completion of a St. John’s, Nfld.-to-Victoria ride on tandem bikes by 31-year-old Shannon Hutchison of Calgary and American Caley Fox, 24, who is based in St. Louis, Mo.
The two riders wrapped up their journey, which covered more than 8,000 kilometres, on Wednesday at Mile 0.
They started April 24 and rode tandem bikes so they would have room to pick up people along the way, said Hutchison.
“We picked up about 10 people, and we found that the main thing is it got people interested in what we were doing,” she said.
Canadians can rest assured that they are as friendly as people say, Hutchison said, noting that Victoria has been voted the 14th most-friendly city in the world in a reader survey compiled by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
She said the people she and Fox encountered were “amazing.”
“We didn’t come across any bad situations.”
The pair coined the phrase “whomping” to describe the trip.
“Whomping is jumping full-on into an experience and being open to everybody around, learning about the culture that we’re in,” Hutchison explained.
A documentary about the trip is planned, she said.
The trip is chronicled at whompnation.com and on Facebook at Whomp Nation.
Dog rescue group hosts barbecue
The Angels Under Our Wings cocker spaniel rescue is hosting a fundraiser today at Beaver Lake Park. The Pawz in the Park fundraiser features a BBQ, raffle draw, silent auction and games to support the organization.
Angels Under Our Wings was created five years ago to rescue cocker spaniels from high-kill shelters in California. The rescue program has 15 cocker spaniels available for adoption and organizers hope the fundraiser generates interest in the dogs.
The fundraiser runs from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, go to angelsunderourwings.com.
Climbers to donate $16,000 for cancer
Climbers Against Cancer plans to donate $16,000 to the British Columbia Cancer Foundation at the end of the International Federation of Sport Climbing world youth climbing championships on Monday.
John Ellison, from the United Kingdom, founded Climbers Against Cancer a year ago after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The presentation will be held at 1 p.m. at the Boulders Climbing Gym at Stelly’s Secondary School in Central Saanich.
Pirate Pak loot adds up to $65,916
White Spot’s sixth annual Pirate Pak Day raised a record $65,916 to send kids to summer camp.
This year’s event sold 32,458 Pirate Paks, donating $2 from each one to give to Zajac Ranch for Children.
Since 2008, the fundraiser has raised $268,386 for Zajac Ranch, providing 160 kids the opportunity to attend.
