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Fundraising events ramp up for Tour de Rock

Dancing with the Cops, barbecue and garage sale taking place
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Tour de Rock 2018 launch at Spectrum Community School. (Travis Paterson/Black Press)

Some of Victoria’s finest will be trading in their badges for dancing shoes as part of the Dancing with the Cops competition this week.

As part of the second annual event, which takes place at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort and Spa, police officers from around Greater Victoria are paired with dance teachers from Dance Unlimited Performing Arts. The six pairs will perform one dance each from a variety of dance styles including hip hop, tap and ballroom.

Similar to the popular TV show, Dancing with the Stars, there will be a panel of three judges who will score the dancers and in the end, one will be crowned the winner.

RELATED: Meet the 2018 Tour de Rock team

“I’m a police officer, but I’m also a dance teacher on the side so I wanted to come up with a fun, fundraising event that brought my two worlds together,” said Const. Chelsea Cofield, event organizer who was also a Tour de Rock rider with Saanich police last year. “It’s nice to see the cops be very vulnerable, do something outside of their comfort zone.”

The fundraising event is one of many leading up to this year’s Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock ride Sept. 22 to Oct. 5. As part of the ride, a team of 22 riders from around Vancouver Island, including Kyle Ross and Brent Vose with the West Shore RCMP, will cycle more than 1,100 kilometres from Port Alice to Victoria to raise funds for pediatric cancer research and Camp Goodtimes.

Dancing with the Cops takes place on Thursday, July 19 at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort and Spa (1999 Country Club Way). The event also includes a silent auction. Doors open at 5:30, dinner is at 6:30 and the competition gets underway at 8 p.m.

For more information or to purchase tickets email Cofield at chelsea_cofield@gmail.com or call 778-966-5600.

But that’s not the only event where people can donate to the Tour de Rock ride.

Past Tour de Rock rider Donna Fraser and her husband have organized the annual barbecue and garage sale at the West Shore RCMP detachment (698 Atkins Ave.) for the past six years. The event, which takes place on Saturday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes hamburgers, hot dogs, pop and chips. People can also browse a number of donated items including household items and small furniture at the garage sale.

“Everybody is affected by cancer and it’s hard when it’s kids. That’s why we do it, it’s all for the kids,” said Fraser, adding she’s had family members who were affected by cancer. “It’s near and dear to our hearts for sure.”

Later this summer, the Olympic View Golf Club Tour de Rock Golf Tournament gets underway on Friday, Aug. 3 from 1 to 9 p.m. Participants can enter as a team for $575 or an individual player for $150.

The tournament will be followed by a dinner (dinner only tickets are $60) and auction at Forester’s restaurant. Partial proceeds go to Tour de Rock. For more information contact Galen Brewer at 250-360-7812 or email brewcrew66@gmail.com.


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kendra.wong@goldstreamgazette.com