London,
October 22, 2014 -- The Raceway at the Western Fair District will host its 9th
Annual Harness The Hope Night this Friday night with proceeds going to benefit
the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.
Harness The
Hope has become a staple at The Raceway and one of the major events that kicks
off each racing season in London. It is the brainchild of Doreen Dustin, wife
of local horseman Greg Dustin, who herself was diagnosed with breast cancer on
October 24, 2005.
“This is
certainly very special to me and it’s hard to believe that it’s been nine
years,” she explained. “The reason we’ve continued this each year is because of
the tremendous support we’ve received from the industry. And, every year we
have women in our industry who are diagnosed and it keeps reminding us of the
importance of this cause.”
Dustin
chose to team up with the Breast Cancer Society of Canada just two years ago,
pointing to that organization’s commitment to helping women who are currently
dealing with breast cancer.
“That was
very important to me, in addition to the ongoing research that the society is a
part of,” she said. “It may sound cliché, but it really comes down to awareness
and early detection. If breast cancer is detected early enough there is help
out there and it greatly improves that person’s chances of getting through it.”
The Raceway
will be decked out in pink once again this Friday and some of the events include
a special 50/50 draw and penny auction. Fans who wear pink to the track will
also receive a ballot for mystery prize giveaways during the night and local
radio station 98.1 FREE FM will be broadcasting live at the event.
As an added
attraction, Lindsey Kerr, a regular on the Ontario Racing Under Saddle (RUS)
tour will be behind the mic to call the action for one of the 11 races that
night. She made her announcing debut recently at Leamington Raceway.
On the
wagering side, the early Super Hi-5 in race 7 on Friday night has a carryover
of just over $5,600 and will feature an instant guarantee of $10,000 on the
pool. First post for the 11-race program is 7:15 p.m. and there is still
limited seating available at the Top of the Fair Dining Room.
Donations
for this year’s Harness The Hope Night can be made through the Breast Cancer
Society of Canada at www.bscs.ca or can be
made by cash or cheque on Friday night at The Raceway.
