Pizza sales support kids’ cancer 

It was party time once again at Boston Pizza in Lloydminster to celebrate Jarrod Russell as the top fundraiser in Canada in the Great Cycle Challenge for the SickKids Foundation.

The restaurant opened its doors last Thursday with the goal of adding to the $36,623 the 48-year-old raised by riding his recumbent bike around town in August.

The idea was to donate $1 from the sale of every medium and large pizza and the proceeds from the sale of cookies to Jarrod’s Great Cycle Challenge total and present a cheque on Oct. 2.

“I worked with Jarrod back in the day and then when he comes here, we do everything to help raise some funds for kids’ cancer,” said manager, Tamara Goebel.

Last year, the event raised another $1,000 for kids with cancer.

Jarrod and his sisters Tanya Robertson, Tami Kappel and his mom, Barb Russell revelled in the support while diving into a great white north pizza.

“Boston pizza is an awesome supporter of Jarrod,” said Tanya who noted she, Jarrod and her other sister Lana Lane all worked at Boston Pizza when they were young.

She says she and restaurant owner Marina Stephenson and the managers go a long way back.

“So they’re awesome with Jarrod. They treat him very well and they do a lot of promoting for the day,” said Tanya.

“We have family popping in and out all day just to give Jarrod support. The Rustlers women’s hockey team is here as well supporting Jarrod and the cause today.”

Jarrod exceeded his goal to ride 1,300 kilometres for kids cancer by one just kilometre and he says it feels pretty good to be the number one individual fundraiser in his ninth annual challenge ride.

He’s been the top fundraiser in Canada several times thanks to local contributors. 

This year community donors helped him raise $9,806.65 on Aug. 14 when donations are matched by the cancer charity.

“It’s an honour to be noticed in the community making all the donations. The community helped me out,” he said.

As for making it 10 in a row next year, Jarrod says he’ll play it by ear.

“We’ll see what happens,” is how he put it. 

His mom Barb says Jarrod has developed a great passion for riding for kids with cancer.

“It’s because he was a victim himself, a survivor and he’s a fighter,” she said. 

In 1980, at the age of four, the Lloydminster resident was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour. The treatments left him with a weak left side and he developed epilepsy.

“He knows what it’s like to grow up with the ramifications of being disabled because of it,” said Barb.

“He is hoping a cure will come so other children don’t have to go through that as they go through life.”

Barb says the whole family is always worried about his well-being riding his bike around town, but she knows he hopes to make that 10th anniversary ride next year.

“He always gets a lot of wonderful emails and letters from the Great Cycle Challenge congratulating him on his efforts,” she said.

Read more: Russell cycling again for SickKids


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Geoff Lee
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