Funds raised by the third annual fundraising softball tournament held by Aldergrove鈥檚 Mangat family will help the Openshaw family of Murrayville, whose twin sons are both fighting cancer.
On Saturday, Aug. 26, during a pause in play at Philip Jackman Park, the Mangats presented a cheque for $11,000, which included two donations of $1,000 each, from the Aldergrove Elks, and Jeff Meacher at Mission Gas Busters.
Annual Mangat family softball tournament and fundraiser to fight cancer is underway at Philip Jackman Park in Aldergrove
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A delighted Alisha Openshaw, mom of twins Weston and Bennett, who are both fighting acute lymphoblastic leukemia, called it 鈥渁mazing.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 bigger than I was anticipating,鈥� she said of the ball tournament.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so nice to see this amount of people here for us.鈥�
READ ALSO: VIDEO: 91原创 twin brothers, 3, battle cancer
Alisha, husband Mike, and older brother Jackson had just returned with Weston and Bennett from a stay at Camp Goodtimes for kids with cancer.
鈥淭he boys are excited to be here,鈥� Alisha told the 91原创 Advance Times, and are doing well.
Weston, whose blood counts 鈥渉aven鈥檛 been great鈥� was showing signs of improvement.
鈥淲e went straight from the ferry terminal [returning from camp the day before the ball tournament] to the hospital to get blood work, and his counts are coming up nicely,鈥� Alisha said.
Annual Mangat family softball tournament and fundraiser to fight cancer is underway at Philip Jackman Park in Aldergrove. Food and live music is part of the experience
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Fourteen team played Saturday and Sunday, with a barbecue, 50/50 draw, raffle, and cash bar.
Jodi Mangat, who began organizing the annual tournament in the memory of her mother Surjit Dhillon, who died at age 72 in 2014 of pancreatic cancer, called it 鈥�100 per cent the best ever鈥� tournament so far.
鈥淚t鈥檚 overwhelming to know there鈥檚 such support from the community,鈥� Mangat told the 91原创 Advance Times.
鈥淚鈥檓 still in shock.鈥�
She went on to give a 鈥渂ig thank you鈥� to the supporters and volunteers who made the event possible.
As well, $2,000 is being donated to the Cops For Cancer fundraising bicycle ride, with the Elks adding another $1,000 to go toward the end-of-the-ride dinner.
READ ALSO: Teams play ball to beat cancer at Aldergrove tournament
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