The Prairie Women on Snowmobiles (PWOS) are getting in gear for their upcoming Mission 2011 ride to support breast cancer research. Over the past 11 years, this admirable group has raised more than $1.4 million for the Canadian Cancer Society. The Mission ride will begin January 28, 2011, in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. It will finish in Hudson Bay on February 4. To keep track of the route and progress of this event, visit the PWOS website.
Daphne Wickstrom, president of the PWOS, took the time to answer our questions about the group and its upcoming initiatives.
What are some of the highlights you are planning for next year's PWOS ride?
We try to go to as many of the places that we have been invited to (as possible), as well as to the core riders' hometowns on our route. Because each stop organizes their own event, we do not know until we get there what they have planned for us—so it is always very exciting to see what they have done. We always have a kick-off banquet the night before the actual ride starts, and a finale banquet the last day of the Mission. This year we have been invited to Meadow Lake for the kick-off and Hudson Bay for the finale. Everyone is invited to join the team at either of these functions or anywhere else during the ride.
How long have you been involved with the organization?
I have been involved for the past nine years. First as a ride-along, then as an official core rider and then as president for the past six years.
What are you most excited about in terms of the group's goals and accomplishments?
Because we promote breast cancer awareness, one of the biggest accomplishments is the fact that we are becoming more and more known around the province each year, which helps us get our message out: "Early detection saves lives!"
We also raise money for breast cancer research and in the past 10 Missions we have raised over $1.4 million for the Canadian Cancer Society. One hundred per cent of the money we raise is used for breast cancer research—we do not use even one penny for our expenses. We have corporate sponsors (businesses and individuals) that sponsor our rides—either through direct donations or through the donation of fuel, hotel rooms, advertising, etc. In addition, 97 cents out of every dollar we raise stays in Saskatchewan.
Approximately how many women will be taking part in this upcoming ride?
We always have 10 official core riders, two alternate riders, plus the four executives. Along the route, we have a number of women that join in with us, some for a mile or two, some for a day or two and some for most of the Mission. We also have a three-man pit crew on the side.
What is your personal motivation in devoting yourself to this cause?
I have been watching and monitoring a lump for the past few years so this continually motivates me year after year. I hope that someone else will hear our message and are diagnosed early enough to be cured themselves. Mostly I hope that we will help find a cure in the very near future—a cure for one kind of cancer will be a cure for all cancers.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about your group, or the upcoming ride?
We would love to have anyone join us either at one of the functions or as a ride-along. The riders really enjoy having the extra riders with them on the trail. It is also very impressive when we arrive at a function or are riding in the ditch following the highway when there are 20 or 30 sleds in a line riding together.
