Slopes for Hope is a fundraising event where people from around B.C. come together to ski and snowboard in order to raise funds to fight cancer. And on Feb. 10, that fight came to Hemlock Valley.

Hemlock is a very small community with less than 50 full time residents but they came out  in large numbers to support this inaugural event.

As of Feb. 11, the Hemlock groups participating had raised $11,280.

The groups participating had set themselves a goal of skiing the vertical height of Mount Everest, 8,848 metres (29,029 ft).

Each run down the slopes at Hemlock is the equivalent to 1,200’ (366m), with a total of 24 individual runs down the slopes.

Some set this as an individual goal and others set it as a team goal.

The teams each picked a theme and then dressed to fit the theme, bringing a wide selection of different types of dress up onto the slopes for the day — and in the end a large number of very weary skiers and boarders.

Funds raised through Slopes for Hope 2013 support the Canadian Cancer Society’s mission to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer.

Fire Chief Marty McKinney said he is hoping residents of all communities to join Hemlock in this new opportunity to fight back against cancer.