Tasty treats generate more than $18K for cancer care
When Mary Reimer started making chocolate moustaches to support those with cancer, she never expected to fundraise more than $18,000 in two months.
For the third consecutive year, the Carman Collegiate principal made chocolate moustaches to raise money for Boundary Trails Health Centre’s cancer supports. She started the fundraiser after a friend and colleague was diagnosed with cancer.
After buying the moustache molds, melting chocolate and making more than 3,000 of the tasty treats, Reimer had generated over $1,500 for CancerCare Manitoba.
Then, on Aug. 30, 2022, Reimer herself was diagnosed with breast cancer.
While going through chemotherapy in October (breast cancer awareness month), she started making the moustaches again for the cause — generating an additional $8,300.
This year, Reimer offered the chocolate moustaches for $2 each in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, Skor, cookies and cream, candy cane, Reese’s Pieces and birthday cake flavours. She started selling the candies at the beginning of October and went through to the end of No-vember. Her goal was to raise $12,500.
After one week, Reimer had raised $3,044. After two weeks, that number rose to $7,794. Before she’d been selling the chocolates for three weeks, Reimer had surpassed last year’s total. By the end of it all, she raised $18,260 for Boundary Trails cancer care, selling more than 9,000 chocolate moustaches.
“It feels like something I started as a way to support a friend and colleague has turned into something that’s an annual event,” she said. “People are recognizing the movement and the cause.”
It’s projected one in two men and one in three women will receive a cancer diagnosis in their life-time.
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the world, with 10 million people dying from it each year. According to World Cancer Day, 30 per cent of cancer-related deaths could be prevented through screening and early detection.
Reimer spent almost every night of the past two months in the Carman Collegiate kitchen making the moustaches. She received orders from Carman, Morden, Winkler and beyond. Though the past two months have been busy, she’s beyond grateful for the support from everyone far and wide, she said.
Reimer was able to have almost no costs for this year’s campaign, thanks to The Prices Rite selling her all her supplies as cost and the OMG Candy Company donating almost 600 pounds of chocolate for her to use.
Reimer has around 50 pounds of that chocolate left unopened, so she’s going to see if the candy company wants it back or if the school can make use of it, possibly making more moustaches to do-nate to local organizations and businesses.
“Without these costs, the amount of money we made increased significantly,” she said.
Reimer attributes the success of this year to the commonality of cancer.
“Unfortunately, it’s a disease that’s touched all of us at some point,” she said. “It’s that feeling of identifying with the struggle. Everybody kind of collectively took ownership of the fundraiser and they donated in whichever way they could.”
Some people donated without buying the chocolates. Others bought chocolates for Reimer to give to people. Reimer said the now annual campaign has brought out the best in the community, and she’s “eternally grateful” for their support.
Boundary Trails cancer care is aware of Reimer’s big donation this year. She said they’ve already been in contact and the director was pleasantly surprised at the event’s success.
Reimer will officially present them with a cheque later this month.
