Fund raising to conquer cancer
A team of Sandvik employees from Sandvik Mining's Perth operations raised more than 75,000 Australian dollars in the 2013 Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer, held on the weekend of October 19-20.
The ride, which covered 200 km over two days, raised funds for the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR), Western Australia's premier adult medical research institute.
Over five million dollars to cancer research
On the weekend of the 2013 ride, the event had already raised 5.2 million Australian dollars from the 1,336 riders who participated – with fundraising continuing until early December. Team Sandvik's total of over $75,000 put it among the top 10 fundraising teams for this year's event.
The Ride to Conquer Cancer's route took in areas of metropolitan Perth, then rolling countryside at the foot of the Darling Ranges, an overnight camp in the Mandurah area, before returning to Perth along the Indian Ocean coast south of the city.
Bringing employees together
The ride attracted participants from Sandvik Mining's four different sites in Perth: Adelaide Terrace, Northbridge, Canning Vale and Bayswater. Driving enthusiasm and participation in the ride among Sandvik Mining's Perth employees was Bradley Darlington, Sandvik's Ground Support Engineer:
"We decided to push the ride harder this year around all Sandvik sites in Perth, not only to raise awareness of the WAIMR cause – and in the process raising more funds for cancer research – but also to increase the number of Sandvik personnel commuting to work on bicycles."
Each member of the team was required to raise a minumum of $2500. To achieve these targets, much of the fundraising took place as a team.
"Fundraising for this event has been both fun and challenging, as some employees have larger contact lists than others. That also made it really important for us to work as a team to ensure that all riders achieved their individual goal of $2500. Another benefit was that it allowed the different Sandvik Mining branches in Perth to intermingle, and get to know what the different people do in each branch." says Darlington.
"$75,000 is an incredible fundraising achievement and all members of the Sandvik Team should be commended for their fundraising efforts," said Jim Tolley, Sandvik Mining's Vice President, Sales Area Australia