By Kathlyn Horibe
October 13, 2008
On Saturday, Oct. 18, Canada’s first all women Convoy for a Cure will roll out of an Ontario truck stop to raise money for breast cancer.
The organizer is Rachèle Champagne, a company driver for Bytown Backhaulers of Nepean, Ont.
“I was driving down the road one day with two of my female trucking buddies,” she said. “All three of us were heading down the 401 chatting away on the CB when I realized, ‘Hey, this is really cool.’ I had never convoyed with two other females. That’s when the idea of a female convoy popped into my head.”
Once she decided to pursue the idea, she contacted the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and pitched them on the fundraiser. “At first, they were a bit surprised because they hadn’t heard of anything like that,” said the Gatineau, Que., resident, who loves projects and organizing events.
A week later she got approval.
“I was very happy,” she said, “because I had a good cause for the convoy and it kind of just took off from there. It’s the first in Canada. It’s probably the first in the world. I’ve never heard of a female convoy in my life.”
The event starts at the Fifth Wheel Truck Stop in Cornwall, Ont., on the 401, exit 792. In the morning, the women get free breakfast graciously donated by the Fifth Wheel. Then they’ll clean and decorate their trucks. At noon sharp, the pink ribbon decorated trucks head west for 62 kilometres to the 730 Truck Stop in Cardinal, Ont.
“There’ll be a huge BBQ at the 730 Truck Stop with all kinds of games and activities for the kids,” said Ms. Champagne, who’s spent the last two months on the telephone getting sponsors. “It’s going to be a family event. No drugs, no alcohol. Just pure family fun with the drivers and their families.”
A mobile breast-screening unit also will be on site.
“It’s going to be an amazing day,” Ms. Champagne said. The girls are going to be totally spoiled. They’re all going to get gift bags worth about $200 each and I was able to get $1,500 worth of free fuel.”
Regarding the number of trucks in the convoy, she said, “When I started, I said ‘Anything over 50 will be gravy.’ I’ve got a pile of applications that I still have to pick up. It would be really neat if we totalled 100 female trucks.”
Two big companies, Trans-West Logistics and Groupe Robert, who have a lot of women drivers, are joining the convoy, she said.
Two convoys of mainly men drivers were held on Sept. 20, one in Paris, Ont., and the other in Trois-Rivières, Que. The latter one had 84 trucks and the one in Paris 75 trucks. “They were guy convoys,” she said. “Just thinking of getting a high number with females would make ours all that much better.”
Other sponsors, among others, include Ultramar, Lavigne Truck Lines Inc., TSQ Truckstop Quebec, Kriska and Avon.
The registration fee is $50. To register, click on Canada’s 1st All Women Convoy for a Cure at www.convoyforacure.com.