May 19, 2009
Politicians feel the pain
Off with his hair: MP Mark Warawa grimaces as Sandra from Mi Casa Spa and Salon in Fort Langley, waxes his leg during May Day festivities. The punishing regimen was all in good fun, and raised funds for the Relay for Life which will be held on Friday, May 22 at McLeod Athletic Park. Harry Hunt/Black Press
By Monique Tamminga - Langley Times
It turns out federal politics is more hairy than municipal, with Langley MP Mark Warawa feeling the most pain at a leg waxing fundraiser at May Day in Fort Langley on Monday.
A couple of thousand dollars was raised at the hair-raising event, with all the proceeds going to this weekend’s 12-hour Relay 4 Life at McLeod Athletic Park.
Langley mayors Rick Green and Peter Fassbender, along with Warawa, donned shorts for a public hair removing in an effort to raise money and awareness of the Canadian Cancer Society event.
“Mark had the most hair so he felt the most pain,” said Relay chair Howie Vickberg. “They were all great sports. Next year, it will be chest hair,” he joked.
Fassbender is a cancer survivor and offered to have his moustache shaved if $1,000 was raised. Although more than that was raised, the tally didn’t take place until later that day, so he got away with his moustache intact, said Vickberg.
Relay For Life is a 12-hour non-competitive overnight event, where teams walk, run or stroll the track, relay-style to raise money for cancer research and programs for people living with cancer.
With a goal of 125 teams and 1,020 participants, organizers are hoping to raise as much or more than the $465,000 raised last year.
“Cancer touches a lot of people. The community really embraces the relay and Langley is one of the top 10 fundraising communities in the country,” he said.
Langley’s students have been a big part of the relay, with almost every school registering a team.
Glenwood Elementary has entered a team every year, with this year bringing out 30 kids, mainly Grade 7s, who have raised $4,500.
Brookswood Secondary has 70 students coming out, D.W. Poppy has 50.
The Relay begins at 3 p.m. for participants to set up campsites. Entertainment, including live music, will go until midnight with the very powerful survivors’ victory lap at 7:30 p.m. and the luminary ceremony at 10:30 p.m.
