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Gearing up for Sears National Kids Cancer Ride By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 3 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Saturday, April 11, 2009 Halton Eco Festival next weekend The ninth annual Halton Eco Festival will be held Saturday, April 18 at the Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. The environmental fair is free and will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the centre located on Third Line just south of Upper Middle Road. The Halton Eco Festival will feature 110 green exhibitors, 25 educational speakers, a 2,500 square foot kids' eco fun area, silent auction with $5,000 worth of items, a challenging eco-jeopardy game and organic ice cream cones. The event is sponsored by smart Centre Oakville, Town of Oakville, Halton Region, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, Burlington Reuse Environmental Group, Canadian Diabetes Association and Me To We Style. Themed environmental areas include automotive, education, energy, food, government, health and wellness, home and garden, ideas and action, natural products, nature, politics, reduce-reuse-recycle and smart growth. "This free event also features 25 educational speakers, a silent auction with more than $5,000 worth of environmental gifts to bid on, a fun Eco Jeopardy game that we created which challenges your knowledge of environmental issues, healthy food at our eco cafe, and organic ice cream cones," said festival co-ordinator Stephen Dankowich, executive director of the Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights. "This fun and educational trade show features 85 organizations with great green products and services to buy and environmental campaigns for you to join. They will be placed on our green marketplace floor in 12 themed environmental areas for you to discover, including automotive, education, energy, government, health and wellness, home and garden, ideas and action, natural products, nature, political parties, reduce-reuse-recycle, and smart growth," said Dankowich. Other features include an all-day conversation about sustainability with keynote speakers on the main stage and educational workshops, a silent auction, refreshments, EcoJeopardy and the Kid's Eco Fun Area. Free buses will bring residents of Acton and Georgetown to the festival. For more information, visit www.haltonecofest.ca, e-mail info@oakvillepeacecentre.org call 905-849-5501. Choose from Condos, Villas, Pool homes and from 3 to 8 Bedroom homes When it comes to doing her part in the battle against cancer, one Oakville woman is literally going the extra mile. Kari Primak, 22, is participating in the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride, a cross-country charity bike trip that will begin June 13, and cover 6,800 kilometres in 12 days. Dubbed one of the biggest and most ambitious charity rides benefiting childhood cancer in the world, the event, featuring 36 riders, will seek to raise $2 million for charities who improve the quality of life for children living with the dreaded illness. Primak became aware of the event through her employer, Can-Fit-Pro, who is helping to sponsor the event. Almost immediately she knew the event was for her. "I feel I've always been so fortunate in my life and I really think this in an incredible opportunity to give back to those who are less fortunate," she said. "It's an amazing cause and at the same time I get to have an incredible adventure myself. I get to see the country." While Primak has always been athletic the graduate, of Wilfrid Laurier University's physical education program points out that she has never attempted anything like this before and is training accordingly. Primak said her intense workout routine has consumed her life, with 120-200 kilometre bike rides taking place on the weekends while the weekdays have given way to smaller rides of 5060 kilometres. The endurance she will build up from this training is essential as she will be expected to complete a 300-kilometre stretch of the trip each day as the riders make their way from Vancouver to Halifax. "How it works is there are 36 national riders divided into three groups. Each group has about 12 people in it and each group will ride about 300 kilometres a day, so altogether, we'll cover about 900 kilomteres a day," said Primak. "At the end of my 300 kilometres, we'll be picked up in a van and driven 600 kilometres to our starting point for the following day." Along the way, the group will be stopping at NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER GETTING READY: Kari Primak rode a stationary bike in Sears Oakville Place last Saturday to raise funds and awareness of the Sears National Ride for Kids Cancer across Canada this June. many of Canada's 17 pediatric oncology centres and hospitals where donations, made to the charity ride, will be spread out evenly. The riders will also have the opportunity to meet some of the children and families they are trying to help. Primak has already begun raising funds for the event. Last Saturday, she raised more than $600 by riding a stationary bike at the Oakville Place Sears. The journey to this point, Primak noted, has been an eye opening one, giving her a unique understanding of what she can do when she puts her mind to it. This transformation was particularly apparent after she finished her first 200 kilometre bike ride in preparation for the coming event. "It's the most incredible feeling ever. It was like the biggest rush of life to finish it," she said. "I mean two months ago I couldn't even ride 40 or 50 kilometres, but now I'm riding 200 kilometres and it's just incredible to push yourself to a limit you didn't even think was possible. I thrive on that" To sponsor Primak visit www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com. Click on the National Rider Bios heading, select Kari Primak and then click on the `Please Sponsor Me' icon. Here in Oakville the ride will be arriving on Saturday, June 20, with an event taking place at Oakville Place at 2:30 p.m. MANY vacation homes to choose from! planning a VIEW AT florida vacation myholidayhomerental.com The best place to start planning your Florida Get-Away! Book Now! rates as low as $ 85/night Deal directly with the owners