Roller Derby Fundraiser in Rossland for Trail Baby with Cancer
By Contributor
Update: The game at the Rossland Arena on Sunday night raised money for Dax, a baby with nueroblastoma. Players for the two teams were chosen by lot — names of all the volunteer players were picked from a hat to make up the “White” and “Black” teams. And then they battled it out.
The battle resulted in two injuries. One player badly sprained her ankle, and will have to nurse the injury for six weeks or more. Another had her nose painfully hit and suffered a nosebleed. One of her fellow players commented, “She’ll be okay — but she might have a couple of black eyes for a while!”
At half-time, the audience was invited to get out and do push-ups, and a surprising number of people got out there and grunted, puffed and sweated for a few minutes.
The “White” team won the game, but as one participant commented, it didn’t really matter which team won; they were there to benefit Dax and his family in hopes that they can be the winners.
Original article:
West Kootenay roller derby teams are lacing up their skates to help a 17-month-old Trail boy who is battling cancer. “Derby for Dax,” a roller derby fundraiser, takes place on Sept. 11 during Golden City Days for Rossland Trail Roller Girls’ (RTRG) skater Kirsten Stevenson’s son Dax, who was recently diagnosed with neuroblastoma.
The Trail family has temporarily relocated to Vancouver for better access to BC Children’s Hospital while Dax undergoes treatment. The proceeds from the event will help alleviate the cost of staying away until his treatment is complete.
“RTRG is a family of skaters who support one another through the best and worst of times,” says assistant captain Valerie Rossi, aka Lois Slain. “When the team found out Dax was battling cancer, we came together to plan this very special event as a chance to support our teammate through this difficult time.”
The fundraiser, planned and hosted by RTRG, is also a chance to engage local fans in the fast-paced sport after a few years of absence from the Rossland Arena.
Locally, roller derby started nearly a decade ago with the defunct Babes of Brutality from Salmo facing off against the former Gnarlie’s Angels of Rossland. The sport grew to house the largest league in Canada, the West Kootenay Roller Derby League, which dissolved in 2015. Over the years, numbers have waned but today the West Kootenay is still home to three mighty teams: RTRG, The Castlegar Dam City Rollers, and Nelson Killjoys.
The teams no longer roll under a league title, but rather operate independently as travel teams, making this coming weekend’s action a rare treat, explains Rossi. “Derby for Dax is a chance for sister teams to come together and compete in an exhibition event,” she adds. “West Kootenay players will be pooled and divided into two killer teams that will fight for the win in an exciting bout you don’t want to miss.”
The lounge will be open for business with volunteers of the Youth Action Network at the helm. There will be plenty of fun in store with half time tricycle races, a fun photo booth managed by It’s In The Smile Photography, 50/50 draws, and much more.
Tickets are $10 each for adults, while children 12 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Rossland Beer Company and RossVegas in Rossland or JJ’s Fashion and Bay Avenue Music in Trail. There will also be a select bunch held over at the door.
Derby for Dax rolls out Sunday at the Rossland Arena, where doors open at 4 p.m. and the event starts at 5 p.m.
Come out and support Dax’s big fight and check out live roller derby again in Rossland. Don’t forget to dress as a miner or wear all gold in celebration of Golden City Days. Residents are also encouraged to support the family’s Go Fund Me page: Dax’s Big Fight (https://www.gofundme.com/2dzc2ru4).
For more details, check out Derby for Dax or the Rossland Trail Roller Girls on Facebook, where information can also be found on the team’s upcoming “fresh meat” intake.
Recruitment has already started for RTRG’s Fresh Meat Meet and Greet, scheduled for Sept. 13 from 7-9 p.m. at the Cominco Arena Gym. Information about “fresh meat” will also be provided at Derby for Dax.
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