The Okotoks Lions Club has made a major contribution to a resident’s efforts to conquer cancer.

The club donated $10,000 to a team led by Tim Olson participating in the 2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer June 26-27.

He is the captain of a team of seven riders participating in the 200km fundraiser which is a grueling cycle through the foothills.

Olson said he was stunned by the generousity of the Okotoks Lions Club.

“It literally left me speechless and almost knocked me off my chair,” he said. “It was way more than I hoped for and I can’t just say enough about this donation and the work they do for the community.”

Olson set a personal goal to raise $5,000 on his own. The team’s goal is to raise $50,000 and they’re at the halfway point.

Okotoks Lions Club president Heather Jones said Olson first approached the club for support and it was something they couldn’t resist.

“It’s for the Cancer Society and almost everybody is affected by it,” she said.

Part of the donation is coming from revenues from the Lions Campground in Okotoks.

“The park donates to different organizations throughout the year,” said park manager Pauline Krause. “Part of what we bring in for revenue, we donate some of it back into the community.”

She said Olson has shown a strong commitment to helping the fight against cancer.

“When an individual comes who is taking and dedicating his time to train for 200 km, he’s not only doing it for personal reasons but also for the community,” said Krause.

All Olson has been asked to do in return is to give something back to the community in the future, something he intends to do.

“I’m going to do that, they’ve inspired me too to keep up my community service,” he said.

It’s the second year the event is being held in Alberta. Last year’s event saw 7,240 riders hit the highway and raise $6.9 million.

The ride will start at Spruce Meadows near Calgary and head south through Okotoks before proceeding along Highway 2A through High River and south to Nanton before heading west to the Chain Lakes.

Riders will camp for the night and then return through Longview, Black Diamond and Turner Valley the following day.

“It’s a challenge and it’s meant to be,” said Olson.

He has been training for the race since January to be ready for the event.

Olson has two sources of inspiration to participate in the race, his mother and his wife. His mother is battling incurable liver cancer and his wife is a skin cancer survivor.

“It’s two loved ones,” he said. “I’d never done anything for this cause before so I thought this was something I could do.”

He said the donation will also help to recruit more people to join the team, including his wife Angie.

Olson’s group is named Team Unleashed.

“That name does stand for something,” he said. “Unleashed symbolizes every rider on the team unleashing their power and potential to do something we feel we might not be able to do, whether it’s physically riding 200km or raising at least $2,500.”

Donations can be made to the event at ab10.conquercancer.ca. To donate to Olson search for either Olson or his team name on the web site or by phone at 403-306-9944.

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