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Prairie Women on Snowmobiles begins in Meadow Lake, ends in P.A.

Jan 16, 2019 | 4:21 PM

The snowmobiling squad which raises funds for breast cancer research and promotes safe snowmobiling have mapped their route for their latest ride across Saskatchewan.

Prairie Women Snowmobiles will begin its six-day-long, 1,400 to 1,600km journey in Meadow Lake on Feb. 3 with the grand finale set on Feb. 8 in Prince Albert.

Kelly Rea, president of Prairie Women on Snowmobiles, told northeastNOW the group was originally started by a breast cancer survivor and her best friend who decided to take the sport they loved, snowmobiling, and combine it with bringing awareness to early detection of breast cancer.

“These two women gathered 10 of their friends together and started the ride,” Rea said. “2001 was our first-annual ride, and ever since then it’s taken off with the addition of corporate sponsors.”

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA) jumped on the snowmobiles in 2015 as Prairie Women on Snowmobiles’ major corporate sponsors. Rea said $18 million that goes to breast cancer research has been raised to the CCS over 18 years with the executives of Prairie Women on Snowmobiles being allowed to choose the researcher every year.

Meanwhile, the SCA has received nearly $425,000 over the last four years, which has gone to purchase equipment for the Allan Blair Cancer Centre in Regina.

For the ride itself, the 10 ladies raise at least $3,000 before they even get on a snowmobile then ride to 26 different places in Saskatchewan, averaging around 200 km a day.

While the executives of Prairie Women on Snowmobiles set up the venues, so the route may be subject to some changes, the current plan for the snowmobilers’ ride is:

Feb. 3 Meadow Lake, St. Walburg , Turtleford, Meota and North Battleford
Feb. 4 Cut Knife, Unity, Kerrobert and Kindersley
Feb. 5 Eatonia, Leader, Fox Valley and Maple Creek
Feb. 6 Gull Lake, Swift Current, Kyle and Rosetown
Feb. 7 Delisle, Biggar, Asquith and Martensville
Feb. 8 Hague, Duck Lake, MacDowall and finale in Prince Albert

Rea mentioned that spectators are encouraged to come check out the ladies if they’re in their area, as it’ll be tough to miss a truck and van decked out in pink riding with 10 women on snowmobiles.

“Each town that we go to we try to have a local person lead the ladies to local leaders at each place,” she said. “People can stop and talk to us on the road, unfortunately the ladies can’t stop but the executives in the semi-truck can. They can meet us at a venue, hear the ladies speak, and talk to us and join us for a little sled ride.”

 

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow