A tug-of-war at the 2024 Williams Lake Stampede between the RCMP and Williams Lake Fire Department (WLFD) raised $1,500 for Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
It was the second time the two groups combined forces to engage in a fun way of raising money for a cause.
In 2023, instead of a tug-of-war, they competed in a Guns ‘n’ Hoses race against the clock as they helped install the fencing for the bull pens during during the Stampede.
The fire department won the race in 2023 while the RCMP won the tug-of-war in 2024.
Williams Lake RCMP Staff Sgt. Brad McKinnon said the idea in 2023 was to put people at ease because of the shooting at the Stampede in 2022 where two people were injured just outside the grandstands on the final rodeo of the weekend.
"We did the bull-pen fencing last year but the service provider didn't want that so we thought 'what can we do?'" McKinnon said.
It was a huge success followed by a demonstration by the RCMP police dog handler and dog that was also well received, he added.
"The police officer put the sleeve on and went around and took the dog bites. I loved the announcer who said, 'look at the intensity of that dog. If this doesn't cheer up the crowd I don't know what will. He looks like he's having fun.'"
Williams Lake Stampede president Court Smith agreed.
"When the dog came in, he was all quiet, and all of a sudden he went berserk," Smith said.
McKinnon hopes they can build on the competition and show for next year's Stampede."
"We are going to try and take it up a notch next year - although that may be easier said than done."
Smith said when the Stampede first set up the competition, the Stampede put up $1,500.
"A thousand would go to the winner and $500 to the non-winner."
All of the money was donated toward RCMP officer Fraser Bjornson's efforts raising money to fight childhood cancer as part of his participation in the Cops for Cancer Tour de North ride.
Smith said the Stampede wants to make the competition a regular thing.
"I think a cool idea if we did a relay up and down the grandstands," he said.
For several years Williams Lake firefighter Derek Seluntich has spearheaded the department's fundraising efforts for Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC). He thanked the RCMP and the Stampede Association for providing the funds, on behalf of MDC.
"We lost to the RCMP, but hopefully next year we will be more successful," Sulentich said.
In March 2025, a Guns and Hoses charity hockey game is confirmed between the RCMP and WLFD and all proceeds will go toward KidSport.
It is hoped the game will sell out, McKinnon said.
"KidSport is a really important organization."
