B8 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday June 13, 2001 Hike tops $60,000 Saturday's third annual Life Hike was a huge suc cess, as about 400 hikers trekked the Heritage Trails at Lions Valley Park to raise funds for national not-forprofit organization Surviving Strep - Strategies for LIFE (SS-SFL). Combining the $34,000 raised by participants with corporate sponsorships, the event brought in just over $60,000. Dan Ferrone, offensive line coach, and Michael `Pinball' Clem ons, head coach, of the Toronto Argos welcomed participants. The Edge Perform ing Arts entertained hikers prior to the opening ceremonies and IFF (International Family Fitness) warmed thg hikers up before they hit the trails. Dan Spina, a Mississauga resident whose wife died from invasive group A strep (GAS) one year ago, raised over $4,000 to support the goals o f S S - . SFL. Spina's family partic ipated in the Oakville event w hile Dan hiked with a group in Arizona where he was attending a 20th year high school reunion and mem orial to his wife, Laurie. Julie Campbell, a sur vivor from Kitchener raised $2,200 and took home an original Innuit carving for her efforts as a top pledge raiser. Re/Max Aboutowne, a founding supporter of the event, won a BBQ party for up to 100 people in a draw for teams raising at least $500. Team Re/Max has donated over $12,000 at the Life Hike over the past three years. Major sponsors of Life Hike 2001 include The W eather Network, Royal Bank, Re/M ax, Loblaws and the Oakville, M ilton and District Real Estate Board. "We are truly the lucky ones," says C atherine Mulvale, Founder of SSSFL and herself a survivor o f flesh eating disease and toxic shock syndrome. "More than 350 people will likely be infected with lifethreatening GAS infections in Ontario this year. Of those infected as many as 60 may die -- 29 already have." M ulvale spent five weeks in intensive care and had 12 muscles removed from her shoulder and back in 1996. The total amount raised through Like Hike events currently tops $160,000. These funds are used by SSSFL to support research and awareness initiatives relat ed to group A strep bacteria. These bacteria cause strep N APO LEO N h o f l'V i?l) C -O M 'v -fo rt .just in time for Father's bay, GAS GRILLS M ONLY r SEE STORE FOR DETAILS ASK ABOUT OUR A /C VALUE ADDED PACKAGE WORTH UP TO *300 Pumon FIREPLACE BLOWOUT SEE STORE FOR DETAILS KEEP DAD COOL ALL SUMMER Photo by Brent Foster OAKVILLE TOWN CENTRE WEST OAKVILLE (905)844-1223 with Carrier Comfort products Burlington Heights Plaza · Upper M iddle & Guelph Line (9 0 5 ) 332-2202 W aterdown Shopping Centre · Hwy #5 & Ham ilton St. (905) 689-3388 Ham ilton · 720 Upper Jam es between M ohawk & Fennel (905) 383-3983 Hours: Mon,-Wed. 10-6, Thurs.- Fri. 10-9, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 12-4 Michael `Pinball' Clemons, head coach of the Toronto Argos, and his two daughters, Raven, 3, and Rachel, 7, at the start of Saturday's successful Life Hike at Lions Valley Park. throat, scarlet fever, celluli tis and the too often fatal flesh eating disease and toxic shock syndrome. The organization has donated $40,000 to research, created an inform ative website (www.strep.ca), distributed over 75,000 copies of their LIFE Guide inform ation pamphlet across Canada and United States and pro vided support to individuals affected by GAS. Money raised from this y ear's event will be put tow ards the developm ent of awareness programs for health · care providers. "There are effective treat ments available for those developing invasive group A strep illnesses," says Mulvale. "Mutilating surg eries and sudden death are no longer the expected out comes of necrotizing fasci itis and streptococcal toxic shock. Our most important defense is early recognition and appropriate antibiotic treatment." More information about the organization and GAS and resulting illnesses is available by calling, email ing or visiting Surviving Strep - Strategies for LIFE at 416-886-6777; info @ strep.caor www.strep.ca. · FIREPLACES · GAS GRIl.LS · H EA TIN G /CO O LIN G · ACCESSORIES & MORE Assorted*Small Fruit 25% O F F : Including grapes, blueberries, e t c . JUST BRICK: FINANCING AVAILABLE NO INTEREST NO PAYMENTS OAC MINIMUM $500 PURCHASE FOR 6 MONTHS M ORE T H A N · ROCKERY STONE ·COMPLETE · POTATO UNE OF STONE INTERLOCK · TRIPLE MIX · RETAINING TOPSOIL WALLS ·CEDAR · DRIVEWAY MULCH EDGING ·S A N D · PATIO SLABS · RED CRUSH · PLANTERS · POND UNER · GARDEN ·PUMPS WALLS · FOUNTAINS · FLAGSTONE D e c c rra tn ^ ^ - W o o d e n /Iro n 9" Line Hwy #5 g___ Hw y #5 Entrance (S Upper Middia C A P B R IC K I? w w w . c a p b r i c k . c o m ONE-STOP GARDENING! I M S i' Conveniently located o ff 9 th Line! % 2082 QUEENSWAY DRIVE, BURLINGTON (1 hlmlt Ea«t of (Irani, south off Plain; Rd. · Betide tlw » North Go parking lot.) Mon-Wed 7-6, Thurs-Fri 7-7, Sat 8-5 · (905) 634-7707 Sale Ends Tuesday June 19, 2 0 0 l f e i < (905 ) 257-3577 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!