Issue 10, December 2009

VEMCO in the Community

VEMCO Staff Participates in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
On Saturday, September 19th, a group of VEMCO employees and friends joined in with Dalhousie University students and other members of the Halifax, Nova Scotia community to help clean up 2000 metres of shoreline in Halifax's Point Pleasant Park as part of the 16th annual TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.

The cleanup is one of the largest conservation initiatives of the Vancouver Aquarium and is affiliated with the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest volunteer cleanup effort for the ocean. The initiative gives all Canadians the opportunity to have a positive impact on their local environment.

More than just a program to pick up trash, valuable data is collected from each cleanup which helps determine the causes of shoreline litter in each region. Collecting the data makes the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup one of the largest contributors to the International Coastal Cleanup in the world.

Last year, nearly 400,000 volunteers collected more than 6.8 million pounds of trash in 100 countries and 42 US states during the 2008 International Coastal Cleanup.

VEMCO Bike Tour Team Raises Over $6,600 for MS Research
The Annual RONA Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour fundraising event for Nova Scotia was held the weekend of July 25th and 26th and for the eighth year running, the VEMCO Bike Tour team was at the starting gate. The 2009 team consisted of 10 members who joined scores of other cyclists from across Nova Scotia and cycled the almost 100km trip from Windsor to Wolfville and back to raise money for multiple sclerosis research.

The VEMCO team raised over $6,600, and in total, bike teams from Nova Scotia raised almost $400,000 in the 2009 tour for MS research.

According to team captain Scott Hurst, "We thoroughly enjoy this fund raising event. How could you not when you spend two days outdoors, get great exercise and take in beautiful scenery - all while raising money for a worthy cause. We plan to come back for many years to come!"

Since first becoming involved with the MS Bike Tour in 2002, VEMCO bike tour teams have raised over $56,000.

About the RONA MS Bike Tour
The RONA MS Bike Tour is a pledge-based fundraising event that provides Canadians with the opportunity to ride through scenic and often spectacular parts of the country. The Bike Tour began in 1989 and is now one of the MS Society's most important events.