Boobs on Bikes

The third annual Boobs on Bikes event was held on Saturday, August 25 with participants cruising a 230-kilometre round trip from Whitecourt to Niton Junction and back through Edson on Highway 32. The event is a sister-event to a charity formed years ago by Brandy Schwenk in Lloydminster called I Love Alberta Boobs. Each year, I Love Alberta Boobs supports families by gifting funds to help offset costs accrued by travelling to appointments, seeing specialists, and/or lost wages from taking time off.

Three years ago, Schwenk’s friend, Janet Jabush, wanted to do something in Whitecourt and bring the same generosity and love that Schwenk was sharing in Lloydminster. “I said, what can we do out here? So, I thought, how about Boobs on Bikes? Brandy loved it and here we are three years later,” said Jabush.

The weather likely played a part in keeping numbers a bit lower than last year as the forecast had called for rain throughout the day. At 1 p.m. as the group mounted their motorcycles and prepared to head down the highway towards Niton Junction, not one drop had fallen and there was no rain in sight. “The number of bikes might be down a little bit but the number of people who are going to be here for supper after the ride isn’t down at all,” said Jabush.

The ride started and ended at the Roadhouse Pub and Grill with the big part of the evening being the presentation of cheques to two very deserving women. This year’s chosen recipients were Melanie Switzer and Sharlene Munday. “Melanie is my niece and I want to thank Brandy for nominating her because it’s thanks to her that she was chosen.” Switzer was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few months ago and, on August 14 she underwent a mastectomy. “She’s 46 years old and a mother of two. One is an adult child and the other still lives at home. She’s very happy to come out and receive this tonight and tickled that someone is wanting to do this for her.”

Munday said she was feeling very blessed to have been chosen as a recipient. “With my breast cancer metastasizing to the bone, this gift will help us out immensely. While we have a great system for health care it does not cover travel, accommodations, loss of work, pain medications, parking lot fees, and all the other unexpected bills that show up. Financial help for the cancer warriors who are out there is so needed and appreciated.” She said she is incredibly thankful to Boobs on Bikes for its generosity.

Jabush said when she spoke to Munday it was clear how much the boost was going to help her. “She said people don’t think about all the costs that go with it. My niece said the same thing. It’s huge and it goes to the little things that lots of people don’t think about. “

An extra special addition was added to the trip at the last minute as organizers of the 11th Annual Whitecourt Relay for Life reached out with an invitation. “We’ve been invited by some of the organizers to bust through the gate down there at Rotary Park and do a drive-by while the groups are walking around the trail. We plan to go by there on our way back from the drive to show our support for them,” said Jabush