It looks like the sun will shine for the 16th annual Run For Mom, set for this Sunday.
The showers that fell Thursday and Friday will give way to a mix of sun and cloud, forecasters say, with a high that could reach into the low 20s.
That’s good news for organizers of the event, which raises money for medical equipment in the maternity department at Chilliwack General Hospital.
There’s usually a good crowd for the run, but the weather can be a factor in attracting late registrants and their accompanying donations.
Since its inception, Run For Mom has raised more than a quarter million dollars – money that’s helped provide better care and greater comfort for newborn infants and their moms in Chilliwack.
Each year the Mother’s Day event draws hundreds of people. Some compete in the chip-timed 8k road race, others opt for the 5k walk/run. There’s entertainment, food, and flowers for all the moms who take part.
The route takes participants westbound on Keith Wilson Road, before returning along the Vedder Trail to the starting point at UFV’s Trades and Technology building. Water stations are along the way, and volunteers help to keep things safe.
It’s a family event, organized by volunteers with the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation.
This year the foundation is raising money for a pain relief system that expectant mothers can use themselves. The goal is to purchase three “Enotonox Systems” which allow the safe and timely administration of a nitrous oxide and oxygen mixture. Each unit costs about $6,000.
To help reach that goal there are several fund raising incentive packages.
Raise more than $750 and participants have a chance to win two WestJet tickets to anywhere the airline flies.
Raise less than that and there’s still a chance to win a series of prize packages.
But the best prize is knowing you’ve helped women and kids at Chilliwack Hospital, says Jessica Boldt of the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation.
This year’s run is Sunday, May 11 at 9:30 a.m. The start is at UFV’s Trades and Technology Centre, 5579 Tyson Road (Tyson and Keith Wilson).
To register, phone 604.701.4051, email jessica@fvhcf.org, or register online at run4mom.kintera.org.