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Vancouver’s high-tech community enters Canary Derby Soapbox Race through Gastown to drive research of early cancer detection
Unique event to benefit BC Cancer Agency research launched at 15th annual Technology Impact Awards
June 16, 2008, Vancouver - About 700 members of the province’s most prominent high-tech companies were challenged at the B.C. Technology Industry Association’s Technology Impact Awards (TIA) on June 12 to enter an old-fashioned soapbox derby in support of cancer research in B.C. at the BC Cancer Agency.
Association CEO Pascal Spothelfer announced the first annual Vancouver Canary Derby, benefiting the BC Cancer Agency, to be held Sunday September 21, 2008.
“BCTIA is thrilled to be a partner in this event, which has been running in Victoria for the last three years and is now coming to Vancouver,” Spothelfer said. “This is a great opportunity for the Vancouver technology community to join forces with the Canary Foundation and BC Cancer Foundation to help support early detection of cancer research within B.C. We encourage and challenge all of you to get involved, build a car, come out and have some fun.”
Don Listwin, the founder of the Canary Foundation and a well-known Silicon Valley veteran, was in Vancouver attending the TIA wards and promoting the Vancouver Canary Derby, and will also attend the Victoria Canary Derby on Saturday June 14th.
“We are thrilled to bring the Canary Derby to Vancouver,” said Listwin, “It has been a very successful event in Victoria and now it’s time for Vancouver get into high gear. I challenge Vancouver high-tech CEO’s to get started now, building their cars and raising funds for early detection of cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency.”
According to Canary Derby rules, corporate teams must design and build a soapbox racecar, to be powered only by gravity, for under $1,500. Each company’s CEO will race it down Water Street in Vancouver’s Gastown district, finishing at the historic steam clock, with prizes for the top fundraisers and the fastest race times.
The Canary Derby is an initiative of the Canary Foundation, an organization dedicated to funding early cancer detection and intervention. All proceeds of the Vancouver Canary Derby will support early detection research at the BC Cancer Agency, a world leader in cancer research and care.
Information and registration and sponsorship opportunities are available online at: www.canaryderby.com or by phoning the BC Cancer Foundation’s Special Events office, at 604-675-8243. Event sponsors include Fasken Martineau, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Atomic Crayon, Webnames and Corporate Recruiters. The Canary Derby is supported by Canary Foundation, BC Cancer Foundation, Gastown Business Improvement Society and British Columbia Technology Industry Association.
The BC Cancer Foundation, established in 1935, raises funds to support research and enhancements to care at the BC Cancer Agency, throughout B.C.
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Media Contact:
Penny Noble, Senior Director, Public Affairs
BC Cancer Foundation: 604 707 5902, cell 604 805 5637
pnoble@bccancer.bc.ca
Team Registration Contact:
Rebecca Kerbel,
BC Cancer Foundation: 604 675 8243
rkerbel@bccancer.bc.ca
Canary Foundation, named after the “early detection” role canaries once played in alerting coal miners of hazardous fumes, is the only American non-profit exclusively devoted to the early detection of cancer.
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