WHO WE ARE

Quesnel Women's Fall Challenge (QWFC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to hold a healthy and positive fitness event for women of all ages and to raise funds for GR Baker Memorial Hospital's Mammography Unit.

This annual wellness event takes place the first Sunday of each October (Cancer Awareness Month) along a scenic rural route that runs, in part, along Dragon Lake. Included in this women's only event is a 5 and 10 km walk and/or run and a 1/2 marathon (21 km).

We are not a registered charity, nor are we part of a provincial or national fund-raising program. Based in Quesnel , our Fall Challenge event is primarily of benefit to women in the Quesnel area. See Goals and Accomplishments for more detailed information.

QWFC now has an average of 500 participants each year (approximately 90 of whom are from out of Quesnel). We have between 55 and 60 volunteers, including 4 core organising committee members.

Each year we solicit and receive cooperation from major sponsors who contribute upwards from $150 either directly or by way of prizes or in-kind donations. All of the funds raised from this event (after expenses) go directly to the Mammography Unit.   The amount varies from year to year depending on the number of participants and major sponsors.

What We Do

In addition to fund raising, QWFC strives to treat all of its participants to a special day!   The atmosphere is fun, positive and upbeat, full of chatter, laughter and music!

This event is an excellent "ice breaker" for any woman wanting to enter a walk/run event for the first time. Our participants range in age from 6 to 85.

Some of the many reasons to participate in the "Challenge" are:

• to complete your event
• to set a personal record
• to recruit friends or family members to join you
• to honour a friend or a family member who has dealt with cancer.
• to keep healthy
• to support G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital's Mammography Unit

"We don't compete against each other, we compete together!"

All participants are rewarded with a luncheon and with a chance to win one of many fabulous draw prizes. For participants wanting to set personal best records, we present unique porcelain medallions for 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd placings in each category.

Our History

Quesnel Women's Fall Challenge all began one Sunday in the fall in 1994 when Elaine Watteyne organized a small group of women friends to run the Dragon Lake Scenic Route. Afterwards, they enjoyed a lunch together. The next year, more women joined in and a small awards presentation was held. Over the next couple of years, new ideas and categories were added, and more women signed up for the special day (nearing 100 participants). In 1998, the group decided to seek out more sponsors in order to donate any profits to the G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital's Mammography Unit. That year, we donated $60.00 to the Unit. In 1999, entries poured in. The luncheon and awards venue site had to be changed and the event was bursting at the seams! In the last 4 to 5 years, the QWFC has averaged 500 participants.

As of October 2007,we have raised over $50,000.00 towards our long term goal (purchase of a digital mammography reading machine).