Seacore to take part in charity bike rides

Vaughan Weekly
March 26, 2014
By Angela Gismondi

Seacore Seafood Inc. Is gearing up to join the fight against cancer this summer.

For the first time ever, Seacore Seafood, an importer and distributor of fresh and frozen fish and seafood and their popular retail outlet Seafood Depot in Woodbridge, has organized a team to participate in the seventh annual Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. The ride will be held June 7 and 8 and participants will ride over 200 kilometres from Toronto to Niagara Falls.

David Battaglia, manager of operations at Seacore, is the captain of Team Stingrays. He chose The Ride to Conquer Cancer as a fundraising initiative this year because the disease has impacted numerous employees. Battaglia explained the company treats all 120 employees like family, promoting teamwork and charity.

By participating in the ride, he wants to show support for those touched by cancer including a sales rep’s three-year-old daughter who had a cancerous tumor in her brain the size of a lemon. She survived that surgery and is currently recovering. Another sales rep,passed away at the age of 50 from lung cancer which spread to her brain.

Battaglia’s grandfather passed away from cancer which started from Melanoma and then spread into the glands.

Though the trek from Toronto to Niagara Falls will be challenging, Battaglia said Seacore Seafood, Inc. is determined to raise money to help find a cure for cancer in his lifetime. The team also takes part in the Ride for Heart to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation but this year they thought it was important to take part in the Ride to Conquer Cancer as well.

“It will be a challenge,” said Battaglia. “It’s a great way to raise money for a great cause and to raise money to find a cure. That in itself is motivational. You give yourself a goal and see if you can achieve it.”

The team has raised over $2,300 so far and hopes to raise $10,000 for The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre by hosting fundraising events, like a barbecue this summer. With his brother-in-law, friends and coworkers also registered for the event, Battaglia is encouraging everyone to participate. Each participant must raise $2,500.

Team Stingrays currently has 15 members taking part in the Ride for Heart and four members for the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

“I reached out to every friend, family member and co-worker and explained to them what a great cause this is and that any donation they make would help us get closer to finding a cure,” said Battaglia.

So far the team has raised over $7,500 for both rides.

The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting The Princess Margaret Hospital will take place June 7 and 8. Participants will ride over 200 kilometres from Toronto to Niagara Falls over two days and one night of camping. For more information call 877-699‐BIKE or email www.conquercancer.ca.

To date the ride has raised over $99.3 million for Princess Margaret Hospital.