Adopt-A-School: Take on the Sedins at the Grouse Grind

This year’s Vancouver Sun Adopt-A-School fundraising campaign starts Sunday on Grouse Mountain with Henrik and Daniel Sedin (and hundreds of other runners) taking on the Grouse Grind.

The race between Henrik and Daniel to see who gets to the top first — and an invitation to the public to join them — is the latest effort by the Sedins to support Adopt-A-School and its mission to feed B.C. children arriving at school hungry or in need of adequate clothing.

Registration to take part in the race is closed with more than 350 participants, but Grouse Mountain is offering a family fun day for parents and children to come and see the racers and enjoy mountain attraction, which will include a pancake breakfast, a barbecue and a deejay.

The brothers will battle to see who is the first to finish the precipitous 2.5-kilometre course and are expected to arrive at the finish line at about 10:15 a.m.

Other racers representing Team Daniel or Team Henrik will follow them.

Donations collected from the race will be donated to Adopt-A-School by the Sedin Family Foundation. Grouse Mountain will also donate revenue from ticket sales.

Henrik and Daniel — now the co-presidents of hockey operations with the Vancouver Canucks — are longtime supporters of Adopt-A-School. This year their foundation donated $126,000 which was sent to help children in rural schools in the northern B.C.

Their friend and former teammate Trevor Linden will be there along with forward Jenn Gardiner of the Vancouver Goldeneyes.

Grouse Mountain spokesman Jaimie Rogers said the cause of feeding and clothing children was “easy to get behind” and invited families to attend the fun day.

Details of the event can be found at grousemountain.com.

Earlier this year, Adopt-A-School sent $2.3 million in aid to schools requesting help.

Since 2011, Adopt-A-School has sent almost $17 million which has allowed schools to set up breakfast and lunch programs, send food home, and provide clothing and necessities to children living in poverty.

Harold Munro, editor-in-chief of The Vancouver Sun and The Province and chair of The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund which administers Adopt-A-School, thanked Daniel and Henrik and their families.

“Organizing this event has taken considerable effort and commitment from them and they are doing it on behalf of children that we must help,” said Munro.

“It’s an inspiring way to begin this year’s campaign.”

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