hoodrivernews.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 A7
HOOD RIVER NEWS | Hood River, Ore.
SPORTS
24-hour paddling event
aims at helping local families
By GABRIEL BRAVO
News staff writer
In efforts to raise money for
cancer patients and their fam-
ilies, the fourth annual Hood
River 24-hour Paddle for Can-
cer event will take place later
this year. Originally, the charity
event was scheduled for April
18-19 but is postponed due
to the coronavirus and public
health concerns.
The 24-hour challenge was
created by Troy Nebeker in
Seattle after his wife was di-
agnosed with breast and lym-
phoma cancer in 2013. Since
then there has been a paddling
event in cities across the U.S.,
Canada and the Cayman Is-
lands, Nebeker said.
“There’s nothing like can-
cer and there’s nothing like
that experience,” Nebeker said.
“(The event) helps people un-
derstand that it’s not an indi-
vidual experience. It requires
so much more than that. That’s
what the event is really about.
It’s about encouraging people
to think about what’s going on
around them and start helping
others.”
Joel Yang is the Hood River
team captain and said people
do it because of their generosi-
ty. A total of about 15 members
are in the team with another
five helping out at the base
camp on Nichols Beach just
east of Hood River Event Site.
Last year the event raised
money for seven families in
the area. An envelope was
delivered to their home which
Photo submitted by Joel Yang
LAST YEAR’S Hood River 24-hour Paddle for Cancer team at
Nichols Beach, aka Slackwater Beach, in Hood River.
included a photo of all team
members, Yang said.
Funds raised are split be-
tween families that need it the
most.
H OOD R IVER V ALLEY B ASEBALL
S CRIMMAGE
“Say we raise $5,000, we take
that and cut it up to $1,000
increments,” Nebeker said.
“The thinking is, we could give
$5,000 to one family, but what
if we gave $1,000 to five fam-
ilies? Finding a cure is awe-
some and there’s lots of com-
panies that are doing that and
it’s a really good thing. But
when you hear the word can-
cer and when it enters in your
family, you’re not thinking
about finding a cure. You’re
thinking about if you’re going
to die, how to pay for medi-
cine, gas, babysitters or, ‘How
do I feel normal for a minute?’
By delivering these envelopes
we give these families, who
are suddenly consumed of the
idea of cancer, one little tiny
breath of fresh air.”
For date updates, infor-
mation or donations visit the
event’s GoFundMe page at
www.gofundme.com/f/ho-
odriver24-4-2020.
OSAA
suspends
practices,
contests
Per Gov. Kate Brown’s an-
nouncement regarding school
closures, the Oregon School
Activities Association has sus-
pended interscholastic practic-
es and contests for sports and
activities for all member schools
effective through March 31.
“During this suspension, we
will evaluate this evolving pub-
lic health situation with the
Oregon Health Authority, the
Oregon Department of Educa-
tion, the OSAA Executive Board,
the OSAA Sports Medicine Ad-
visory Committee and mem-
ber school administrators from
throughout the state to deter-
mine when, or if, to resume the
spring season,” said a release.
Photos by Kirby Neumann-Rea
Coach Jake Williams gives some hitting advice, lower left, to Ryles Buckley. In a previous interview,
head coach Erich Harjo said the recent warm weather has allowed players to practice outside in-
stead of indoors. Wide open fields provide realistic in-game conditions during practice which will
The traditional “Blue Gold Games” took place for the HRV varsity baseball team Thursday, March 12 prepare student-athletes for live games, Harjo said.
at Traner Field in Hood River.