9°c A few clouds
8°c Light rain
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
'Brother in blue' inspires journey
Cops to bike, raft in recruit's honour
Constables James Sushnyk, Kurt Kozyra, Thane Chartrand, Frank Wurr and Eric Wytinck (from left) are among the eight city police officers and a civilian who will undertake an arduous biking and rafting trip to raise money for CancerCare. ( MIKE.DEAL@FREEPRESS.MB.CA WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)
Related Items
-
Articles
Their fellow police officer died from pancreatic cancer before he ever got to walk the beat.
But on Friday, eight Winnipeg Police Service officers will start a provincial rafting and biking trip in Bradley Lelliott's name to raise money for cancer research.
"I can't think of any better inspiration for this trip," said Const. James Sushnyk, who organized the fundraising drive.
The 35-year-old father of three died in May after completing most of his training to become a WPS officer.
The endurance trip will kick off Friday in Emerson, when the officers will begin a relay to Thompson, taking turns as they travel at a rate of 175 kilometres per day.
They hope to arrive in Thompson by June 22.
Sushnyk said the idea for the trip began while Lelliott was still alive.
He said he met the recruit and was blown away by his reaction.
"When I got the opportunity to speak to him, he was in his last days," he said.
"What he actually said to me was, 'What could he do?' And he meant physically, how could he help us with this?"
Hundreds of Winnipeggers turned out to Lelliott's funeral, and the recruit was honoured in a special ceremony at the Manitoba Legislative Building before his death.
Sushnyk said eight WPS officers will be joined by a woman from Minneapolis, who is volunteering her time to accompany them.
From Thompson, five officers, including Sushnyk, will head by seaplane on June 23 to the mouth of the Churchill River.
They'll start rafting there towards Churchill, about 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
Depending on weather, he said the rafting portion of the trip might take one to two weeks.
"We wanted to do something based in Manitoba and we figured there was probably no greater challenge than to traverse Manitoba by ourselves," Sushnyk said.
The officers said they are collecting pledges for CancerCare Manitoba at brothersinblue.com.
They want to raise $5,000 to $8,000 for CancerCare, they said, and officers are using vacation time to complete the trip.
The website will be updated as the officers continue their trip, they said.
gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 18, 2009 A6
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Proudly brought to you by:
Most Popular Local
- Thieves strip $20K worth of copper wiring from gravel pit
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- Pukatawagan RCMP looking for two dangerous suspects
- Gang members get lengthy sentences for jailhouse beating
- Ex-Bomber sued for $4.8M
- WWE's Jericho breaks code in Brazil
- Every year 4,000 children reported missing in Manitoba
- Ex-Hydro boss slams closure
- Union Station to receive $6.5-million makeover
- Man hit before fatal blow, friend testifies
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Cyclist killed in collision on Higgins identified
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- A SHED is not enough
- Football star's fatal punch probed at manslaughter trail
- Cyclist killed in Higgins Avenue crash
- Sex-scandal inquiry to be heard in city
- Winnipeg man recovering after campground bear attack
- Severe storm warning issued
- Man hit before fatal blow, friend testifies
- Boozy night out, lying cost city man big bucks
- Neighbours shaken by two deaths
- Teen hit by vehicle on Pembina
- Rapid buses rattling homes
- Severe storm warning issued
- Has Gimli gone to pot?
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Cyclist killed in collision on Higgins identified
- Triple whammy hits homes
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- Pukatawagan RCMP looking for two dangerous suspects
- Ex-Hydro boss slams closure
- His life made our world a better place
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- At 100, she's still winning friends and winning at bridge
- Band, council defy feds on aid
- Hydro headquarters named Canada's greenest office tower
- Katz ponders sanity of new rules
- Ex-Bomber sued for $4.8M
- Prairies top preventable deaths list
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Pooch paradise, where champion beagles run free
- His life made our world a better place
- Winnipeg man recovering after campground bear attack
- Scientists lash Harper government for pulling plug on Experimental Lakes Area
- He was enjoying view, bear came out of blue
- Weeding out the chemicals
- Diplomat saved thousands from Hitler
- U of W rejects copyright deal as 'money grab'
- Chemicals not par for the course
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Has Gimli gone to pot?
- Pooch paradise, where champion beagles run free
- His life made our world a better place
- Scientists lash Harper government for pulling plug on Experimental Lakes Area
- RRC's old gem a beauty
- Attack on hockey ref nets jail time
- Our Village is as good as it gets
- Judge faces second complaint
- Winnipeg man recovering after campground bear attack
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.