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Trek raises money and awareness for BC Lung

This is Ashcroft resident Wayne Chorneychuk's 20th year on the Trek.

Cycling 200 km from White Rock to Cultus Lake and back might seem like a long haul to most, but for Ashcroft cyclist Wayne Chorneychuk and some 350 others, taking part in the BC Lung Association’s annual Bicycle Trek for Life and Breath (Trek) is the final leg of a journey they started training for months ago.

“This will be my 20th year,” said Wayne. “Trek means a lot to me. My father-in-law passed away from lung cancer, my mother-in-law copes daily with chronic lung issues, and this year a friend and fellow BC Lung Association support, Doug Hill, is facing his own battle with lung disease. My 2014 ride is in tribute to him.”

A recreational ride, not a race, Trek takes place Sept. 6 and 7 and is designed for cyclist of all levels – from the casual rider to the experienced cyclist. Together, over the event’s 30-year history ‘Trekkers’ including Wayne, supported by his wife Carolyn, kids, extended family and sponsors, have help raised more than $6 million to help fight lung disease.

“The camaraderie and sense of community is very real. Some of us meet only once a year, but year after year we’ve become family united by a purpose. Even when the weather misbehaves and we get soaking wet - it’s still good times,” said Wayne. “No one’s too concerned about getting to the finish line first, it’s more about completing something that benefits others and makes you feel great.”

BC Lung Association Events Coordinator Kate Jarvis said, “People of all ages take part; some coming every year for a decade or more. It’s as much a fundraiser as a Trek family reunion. And the family keeps on going and growing. It may not be surrounded by the same fanfare as other large charity events – but that’s precisely why it’s so special. Each and every Trekker has a story which drove them to show up in the first place – and it’s these stories that give the work we do true meaning.”

For more information or to make a donation call the BC Lung Association at 604.731.5864 or toll free at 1.800.665.5864 (outside Greater Vancouver) or visit www.bicycletrek.ca