Cochrane Sport Chek will be the host location this weekend for the Fenton family’s fundraising efforts for the ‘2015 Sport Chek Mother’s Day Run, Walk & Ride’.
Valentina Fenton, a local mother of three, will be at the Quarry site store location this Feb. 27 from 4-7 p.m. and Feb. 28 from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. selling her handmade dog leashes made from climbing rope for donations of $15.
All proceeds will go toward the May 10 Mother’s Day event — which is raising money for the Calgary Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs at Calgary hospitals) and the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation (through the Forzani Foundation).
Dog lovers are encouraged to stop by and purchase one of the sturdy leashes — made from climbing rope donated by the Stronghold Calgary Climbing Centre and reinforced with metal purchased by the Fenton family.
There will also be draws taking place on both days for a variety of hotel getaways — including an overnight package at Calgary’s luxurious Fairmont Palliser Hotel; tickets to the draws will be by $5 donations.
This is how Valentina, husband Cody and daughters Shelby, eight, and Hannah, six, have chosen to give back to the NICU staff and equipment who they credit for saving the life of the newest addition to their family — 18-month-old baby boy, Darroch.
Darroch spent 22 days in the Foothills NICU therapeutic cooling bed, due to a hypoxic brain injury.
The whole experience blindsided the family — as Valentina’s pregnancy was healthy and by all definitions normal.
It taught them that the level of care, support and services they received at no personal cost to them should not be taken for granted.
“…we are so grateful for the work that was done there, because it literally saved my son and my family,” said Valentina.
Last year was the first that the family of five participated in the five-km walk; they managed to raise $6,100 (including a $2,000 donation from Wal-Mart) for the cause in less than a month.
To learn more or to donate, visit mdrunandwalk.com and pledge under ‘Fenton5’.
