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2007 Pat O'Brien Rallye
by Rick Higgs
| It dawned cloudy and gloomy especially as fog built up heading
into Burnaby on Hwy. 1 for the Brentwood Recreation Centre start of
the 2007 Pat O’Brien Rallye. However, weather does not postpone an
annual event held in memory of a former VMC Member Pat O’Brien on
the Sunday closest to St. Patrick’s Day. Today ran true to form.
The Rallye organizers Mitch McCrea and Ron Boyes were on hand before
9:30 to greet the early arrivals and a keen group was on hand by 10.
This year an optional 50/50 ‘Poker Rallye’ was added into the mix, to raise money for the annual Christmas Kruise for Kids. Several teams took part and $30 was raised for the Kruise for Kids. Pat & Rebecca won the best Poker Hand and $30. The Rallye route ran over 115 kilometres, past Skytrain Stations
and over bridges…you needed to know the numbers and were reminded to
always check the last sheet of instructions before leaving the start
area. The first section took entrants through Coquitlam and up to
Westwood Plateau. Then, it was east to Minnekhada Lodge in the GVRD
Park of the same name along the Pitt River. Every Rallye team made
it this far! Rallye Awards went to the following: Minis 1st Place Steve, Kimberley & Erin Malins, 2nd Place Larry & Anne Sutton, 3rd Place Wilson, Jen, Thomas & Marita DeSantos – Brand X 1st Place Rob & Brianna Fram, 2nd Place Pat Tillapaugh & Rebecca, 3rd Place Keith, Ellen & “Bonny the Beagle” Sparkes. Other entrants and financial contributions came from
Jeff, Leanne & Caitlin Smith-Barlow, Rick Higgs, Ken Martin, and
Rallye leaders Ron Boyes and Mitch McCrea. A surprise guest at
lunch was Lyall the body/paint man from Abbotsford ! |
The
Rallye raises funds for the Heart & Stroke Foundation and provides
for an early spring mental workout to stay on track, log the “right
answers” to the sometimes odd ball questions and find the concluding
lunch site and awards session…at the end. $220 was raised for the
Foundation on the day.
