The race is spearheaded and managed by Ellen and Tom Matthews together with The Rotary Club of Summerland, and a very committed group of local Summerland residents and sponsors. The goal is to showcase the beautiful Giant’s Head Mountain and the community of Summerland, while raising funds for colon cancer detection, diagnostics and research. Proceeds of the race also provide funding for the upkeep and improvement of the trail system in Giant’s Head Park with the support of the City of Summerland.
In 2013, Rotarian Roch Fortin brought the idea of organizing a race up Summerland's Giants Head Mountain to Ellen and Tom Matthews, who had lost their son Christopher Walker to colon cancer that same year. The couple jumped on the opportunity as a means of keeping their son's memory alive. By encouraging physical outdoor activity and promoting health and wellness, Ellen and Tom knew they would be honouring the memory of Chris in a way that would have made him proud.
The Rotary Club of Summerland is always looking for new ways to support the community of Summerland in the South Okanagan. Part of Rotary’s long-term vision for Giant’s Head Park is to improve the quality and accessibility of the trails for everyone to enjoy, and to assist in ensuring the sustainability of those trails by upgrading signage and providing an educational component to the trail.
