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14 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 30, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN Phone: 905-845-3824, ext. 248 Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: angela@oakvillebeaver.com PHOTOS BY RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER READY TO RIDE: Krystal Archer, 22, left, rides for the cause. She is a cancer survivor who had a brain tumour and is now 16 years cancer free. She took part as WOSS hosted an Inside Ride fundraiser for children and families dealing with cancer. At right, Andy Brooks, a White Oaks student who is legally blind and will be riding across Canada to fundraise this summer, was on hand as Abbey Park High School also hosted an Inside Ride event last week. Inside Ride at WOSS ... and at Abbey Park By Joanna Phillips SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER There was chanting, cheering and music. Bodies moving to the heart-racing beats of Soulja Boy, YMCA, and other dance floor tunes. Then there were students, even teachers, on stationary bikes, peddling into oblivion. Or so it seemed. At White Oaks Secondary School on April 23, hundreds of participants drew together to raise money for kids with cancer. Grade 11 student and cancer survivor Andy Brooks wanted to pledge $16,000 for the National Kids Cancer Ride in June, a challenge he is undertaking with infinitely positive results. The rest of the school responded, and The Inside Ride was borne. This is the first time White Oaks has ever held this event, which is organized by the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation. The Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation's mission is to "create a series of high quality, physically challenging, national and regional events to raise needed funding for worthy childhood cancer charities whose programs improve the survival rate and quality of life of kids impacted by cancer," says its website. About 1,700 adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year in Canada, and childhood cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death for Canadian children, according to statistics compiled by Kids Cancer Care, Alberta, and Camp Trillium Childhood Cancer Centre. Brain cancer, which Andy Brooks was diagnosed with at age 3, accounts for a large proportion. The Inside Ride crew set up 30 stationary bikes inside the school last Wednesday, with an MC, DJ, and music bouncing off the walls. Toronto Marlies' mascot Duke the Dog made an appearance, as did Mayor Rob Burton and MPP Kevin Flynn. Teams of six were assigned to each bike, with every member riding for ten minutes amid all the excitement and enthusiasm emcee Michael By Joanna Phillips SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER See Standing page 15 Andy Brooks is doing great things, and the best part is, it's catching on. Abbey Park High School held The Inside Ride last Thursday, the day after White Oaks Secondary School played host to theirs. The money raised will support 16-year-old cancer survivor Andy Brooks in his far-reaching campaign. Brooks will be cycling from Vancouver to Halifax in the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride in June, and all funds will go directly to childhood cancer charities. While Andy Brooks attends White Oaks, he was slated to attend Abbey Park. However, it was felt he would be better accommodated at White Oaks with his vision problems. Twenty-one teams competed in the event, which raised $6,700, over the school's goal of $5,000. Wendy Shute, a physical and health educator at Abbey Park, said, "We're a big school that pro- motes charity. This was a great opportunity to include physical fitness with raising money for charity." The head of the physical education department, Greg Dailey, won for the farthest distance recorded by a male. One of the women on a team for the parent council won for farthest female distance. The event was initiated when Principal Regan Hefferman approached Shute in order to get the event off the ground. Shute worked in tangent with her Health for Life class to bring it to life within the school. Her students burned CDs of "rockin' tunes" which so impressed Inside Ride program co-ordinator Larry Optis that he's requested copies for future rides. Team names included Bubble Babes, Sizzling Six and 80's Spandex. Andy Brooks and his family were present to enjoy the goodnatured madness, as was the school's costumed eagle mascot. According to Shute, the school definitely wants to do it again next year.