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Oak Bay kids are all right

These teenagers, who could have easily spent the first three weeks of September laying on the beach

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the kids are all right.

The kids at Oak Bay High are certainly doing something right at any rate.

Beginning the school year behind the gun for their annual Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock fundraising efforts, the students rallied together even before the teachers were back at their desks.

They could have easily said, ‘next year’ and no one could have blamed them. How can you possibly organize hundreds of teens into action when you can’t get them together?

Then, they showed us how.

Not willing to sacrifice one minute of potential fundraising time, a core group of students reached out and managed to attract 50 others to a meeting in early September. From there, it was full steam ahead for the planning and execution of the school’s annual effort on behalf of kids with cancer.

These teenagers, who could have easily spent the first three weeks of September laying on the beach or hanging out with friends, instead put their heads together to come up with a plan of action to raise as much as they could for the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock riders.

Instead of giving up, they hit up social media, they hit up real media and they hit the ground running.

As Oak Bay High student Jessica Manness told the Oak Bay News last month, “There’s no reason they should have to tell kids they don’t get to go to camp this year.”

And thanks, in part, to the students of Oak Bay High, those kids with cancer will get to go to Camp Goodtimes this summer. The more than $40,000 raised by Oak Bay High students will make sure of that.

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Speaking of fundraising events. The News was pleased to partner with the Oak Bay BIA last week to present the premier of Gracepoint at the United Church. The event raised more than $4,000 for the Oak Bay Fire Department to purchase a new Jaws of Life thanks to all who purchased tickets and enjoyed the show with us.