Tremblant 24-Hour Grand Prix
Mont-Tremblant - From December 12 to 14, Tremblant will be bubbling with excitement; the third edition of the 24-Hour Grand Prix will be in full swing. This year, the main beneficiary of the event will be the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, which works to help children with cancer. The 24-Hour Grand Prix is 72 hours of sliding, partying and fun to raise funds for a good cause.
Where fans meet Formula Charity founders and sponsors Craig Pollock and Jacques Villeneuve, and other personalities from the world of sports and the arts, will strap on their skis from December 12 to 14 in order to help children stricken with cancer.
In fact, the 24-Hour Grand Prix is attracting the excited attention not only of athletes, but of all kinds of people interested in linking fun and philanthropy. For the third year running, teams of four or six skiers and boarders will compete, each one trying to rack up the greatest number of kilometres in order to build their team's donation.
If this year's objective of $376,000 is reached, the event will have made possible the donation to sick children, in three years, of more than a million dollars.
Skiing for a cure It is unthinkable that so many children die each year from cancer, which is why the Charles-Bruneau Foundation works tirelessly so that children will be cured. The 24-Hour Grand Prix will be one of the Foundation's main fund-raising activities for 2003. The funds raised will go to enlarge and modernize the Charles-Bruneau Cancer Centre, which is internationally renowned for its program of research and development.
"The Fondation Charles-Bruneau keeps Charles's dream alive. He always said: 'When I'm big, I'll be well.' Now we're seeing results. In Charles's day, there was only a 35 per cent chance of getting better; now, in cases like his, we're seeing an 80 per cent probability of beating the disease. Charles was diagnosed in 1979, which means that in just 24 years we have managed to make huge strides in survival statistics. It's extraordinary, and it's exciting. So we're not giving up; we're pushing ahead!" says Pierre Bruneau, vice-president of the Foundation.
The Tremblant Foundation, whose mission is to assist the underprivileged young people of the MRC des Laurentides region (Regional County Municipality of the Laurentians), will be the secondary beneficiary, as in previous years.
Taking part in the 24-Hour Grand Prix is an active way to contribute to the well-being of children, as well as to be part of the most exciting event of the year. Whether you're in great shape or less-than-great shape, put a team together and come participate in the 24-Hour Grand Prix. For information on how to register, go to www.tremblant.ca/24heures/en/home.html