Fundraising Goal: $51,000 Target for Nov. 29 Kicking PancreAS
Organizers aim to outperform last year's $41,000 haul during the five-kilometer event in Spencer Smith Park.
By Marco Ortega ·
Organizers of the annual Kicking PancreAS event in Burlington, Ontario, set a fundraising target of $51,000 for Nov. 29. That figure exceeds the $41,000 collected during last year's gathering, which drew 300 participants. The charity behind the event, Craig’s Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society, hopes to expand attendance to 375 people to reach the new monetary goal.
The five-kilometer walk and run begins at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 29, in Spencer Smith Park. The route heads west along the Waterfront Trail toward Beachway Park for 2.5 kilometers before returning to the starting point. City officials confirmed the event will not impact public streets, meaning no lane restrictions or closures are required.
Participants will walk through the park during the Burlington Festival of Lights, which launches on Nov. 27. The venue will be illuminated in time for the Sunday evening fundraiser. Hundreds of individuals are expected to take part in the activity along the waterfront.
Alessia Proietti, the charity’s health-care education and communications manager, explained the organization's focus. "All the funds go to our organization, Craig’s Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society, the only Canadian-focused non-profit for pancreatic cancer," Proietti said. The group was established in 2007 in memory of Craig Schurman Condon, who died in 2006 just eight weeks after his diagnosis.
The society supports patients, raises awareness, and funds research to improve survival rates and quality of life. Kicking PancreAS originated in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, in 2014. The movement has since spread to all 10 provinces in Canada. Thirteen walk and run events are scheduled across the country this year.
The Burlington event serves as a local chapter of this national initiative. The organization uses proceeds to provide information and support to those affected by the disease. The Nov. 29 date coincides with the opening of the city's holiday light display, adding a seasonal element to the charitable effort.
