Cops for Cancer 2012 Tour de Valley was an amazing experience.

During the nine-day ride we enjoyed great weather, met some very inspirational people and raised much needed funds for children living with cancer and their families.

Before embarking on the ride the team trained for several months, increasing both intensity of training and putting on many miles on the bike. Delta PD's four riders also reached out to our community and raised over $48,615 in fundraising events prior to the ride and from donations sponsoring each team member during the ride. The generosity and giving spirit of this community was amazing.

During our trek from Tsawwassen to Boston Bar (and every hill in between) we met courageous people, our junior team riders and their families. The junior riders are the young people, some of whom are still in the fight for their life and others have fought and are in remission; and other parents we met are remembering their children who fought with all they had and didn't survive. It was humbling to see their continued hope, courage and appreciation for the support of the community through the Canadian Cancer Society. This, along with the reception and support we received from the schools (students and staff alike), as well as businesses reinforced why we were riding—most if not all of the people we came in contact with have been impacted by cancer.

The unsung, and more often than not unseen, heroes were the volunteers that worked before and during the actual Tour de Valley ride. From the "water boys" who made sure each rider's water bottles were full, to keep us hydrated, to the ambulance crew that had Tylenol and bandages at the ready on a daily basis. There was a team that packed and unpacked our luggage onto the truck and made sure it got to the final daily destinations. The motorcycle escort team that kept us moving freely through traffic and stopping traffic so we were safe for the over 800 km we rode on our bikes. Many others were on hand to carry out various jobs. All were there to help, did their job with precision and a smile on their face, for the whole nine days!

The riders from all jurisdictions and emergency services (Police, CBSA Corrections, Sheriffs and a media rider) in the Fraser Valley area came together and were a tight knit group with a common purpose— to do our part to make cancer history! In total the 2012 Tour de Valley raised $283,227.