Bishop’s Falls beach volleyball tournament will raise money for Canadian Cancer Society

Taylor Burt and Brooke Reid are using their experiences with cancer to push for a change. 
The two young people from Bishop’s Falls — Burt is 22 and Reid is 20 — are like most when it comes to the disease. 
They’ve lost grandparents to cancer and when they got the opportunity to do their part to help those still dealing with the shock waves of it, the pair put their best foot forward. 
That positive step comes in the form of the third annual Kill It For Cancer beach volleyball tournament held Aug. 17-18 in Bishop’s Falls, a co-ed competition where all proceeds go to the Canadian Cancer Society. 
Burt remembers heading to the Canadian Cancer Society offices in nearby Grand Falls-Windsor with her grandmother. 
She had started treatment, was losing her hair and need to get fitted for a wig. Burt remembers the care her grandmother received while at the office and the extra attention the staff gave to make sure things went just right. 
The care her grandmother saw turned what could have been a nervous situation into something positive. 
“Everyone has a story like that,” said Burt. 
Reid’s grandmother was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and after that she realized how many families are affected by the disease. 
She points to the health-care system and the Canadian Cancer Society as being positive and supportive of her grandmother along her journey. 
When they were student workers with the Town of Bishop’s Falls, they were challenged — along with the other student employees — to be ambassadors for their community. 
Taking that initiative, they looked at the journeys their families had taken with cancer and wanted to help in any way they could. 
The pair played volleyball in high school, so it made sense for them to turn to the sport again when coming up with a fundraising idea. 
Hence, the beach volleyball tournament was the logical direction for them to take. They knew the rules, could set up the court and would be able to officiate games while taking score as needed. 
The first year, they had 10 teams and raised about $700. The following edition saw a 12-team slate and the pair raised $12,000. 
And they’re looking to keep serving, so to speak, this year. 
“We don’t really have a goal, but we want to get (as many donations) as possible,” said Reid. 
The hope is they’ll be getting up to 12 teams again this year. That is the maximum they can handle and still be able to keep the games to daylight hours. 
Their families chip in to help run the tournament and are proud to see what their daughters have done to commemorate their loved ones, according to Burt. 
“We want to celebrate the lives of those touched by cancer,” she said.