For their first ride in the annual fundraiser to fight cancer organized by the Old Farts Car Club and Brogan’s Diner in Langley City, Darcy Dryden and her daughter, Marie Willson, covered their Jeep with images of ribbons and messages of encouragement for those fighting the disease.
“I looked up all the [types of] cancers and we did a ribbon for every one,” Darcy told the Langley Advance Times.
The front hood of their Jeep was reserved for ribbons honouring the memory of family members lost to cancer, including one for Darcy’s daughter-in-law, Drina Dryden, who passed away in May of 2020.
Another, bearing a distinctive plaid pattern, was for Marie’s father Ken, who passed away in October of 2020.
“He always wore a Mac jacket,” Marie shared.
Mother and daughter raised $550 in donations on their own before the ride, and said they are planning to take part in next year’s event.
Ken Johnson, Krista Lewis and Lori Chapman, organizers of the event rated it a success, with about 60 cars taking part in the Saturday, July 10, cruise, which was followed by a classic car show on Sunday.
More than $3,000 had been raised as of Monday, with more donations coming in.
“It was excellent, a beautiful run,” Johnson commented.
Brogan’s Diner was the staging area for Leaving Cancer in the Dust, a COVID-safe car two-hour cruise along a non-stop route that went out to Abbotsford and back, looping through different neighbourhoods, including a busy but enthusiastic Fort Langley, which delighted Chapman.
“It was backed up, but it was awesome, seeing people out on the streets waving and honking their horns,” Chapman described.
“It was amazing.”
In 2020, the event raised funds for a mother who had aggressive breast cancer and a five-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with kidney cancer.
This year’s ride was to help Chase Annecchini of Vernon, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma last year at the age of four.
READ ALSO: Fundraiser kicked off for single Okanagan dad whose son is battling cancer
Chase’s dad, Tony Annecchini, who grew up in Langley and now calls Vernon home, is a single father with shared custody of four sons.
Annecchini was self-employed but has had to stop working to look after his sons at home as well as Chase, who will call BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver home while he undergoes treatment.
Maria Thorneloe and Koren Cybulsky, organizers of “Hope For Chase,” a GoFundMe campaign for the family, said Chase has a “very long and difficult road ahead of him with chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplants” expected to take 18-24 months.
READ ALSO: Brogan’s Diner serving up 500 free Christmas dinners to Langley community
More photos of the Saturday event can be seen online by clicking here.
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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