Rocket Power: Melissa Busts a Move for Breast Health
By Erica, Staff Writer, Hockey Pub
Rocket Power is an initiative pioneered by Rocket Sports Media designed to mobilize hockey fans to support charitable organizations and to get involved in their communities. We proud to help raise awareness with a series of continuing features intended to spotlight members of the hockey community who are making a difference.
MONTREAL, QC. — Melissa Milonow, a 23-year-old Habs fan living in Ottawa, is an athlete who’s not afraid of a challenge. After all, she was drafted to the CWHL a few years ago. She recently sought out local fundraising events that would allow her to do two things she loves: helping others and staying in shape. Next week, she’ll be doing both at a fundraising event in Ottawa.
Tell us a bit about this event.
The event I am participating in is called Bust a Move (For Breast Health) and it is a one-day fitness and fundraising event to celebrate and fight for breast health. “Bust a Move” was founded in Halifax in 2010 and has since raised over two million dollars for breast health programs.
The Ottawa edition of Bust A Move is being organized by the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. It takes place on March 2 at the Ottawa Athletic Club and involves five hours of fitness sessions – yes, I will be working out for the entire five hours! Hour 1 involves dancing and stepping to rock style music; hour 2 involves dance routines with a Zumba flavour; hour 3 is a flow yoga class; hour 4 is a kickboxing and martial arts workout and finally hour 5 is Urban Dance.
Is this the first time you’ll be taking part?
Yes. This is actually my first time taking part in a fundraising event in general (that wasn’t part of school.) I made a commitment to myself at the beginning of this year to participate in cancer fundraising activities that also involved fitness and I happened to come across this one, on Twitter, I think, so I decided to sign up. Also, I never turn down five hours of fitness and the opportunity to meet [fitness guru] Tommy Europe!
What initially drew you to this cause and this event?
Cancer has affected family friends more times than I can count in the last few years, and this year it hit closer to home than I ever expected. While breast cancer has not directly affected me, it is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer among women in Canada. The reality is that 1-in-9 women have a chance of developing breast cancer. This means that eventually, someone in my family or circle of friends could be diagnosed with it, and that terrifies me.
Do you have a fundraising goal? All participants have to raise a minimum of $1000 in order to be able to participate in the actual event. If you sign up and don’t raise the minimum requirement, you don’t get to attend the actual Bust a Move event on March 2. To be quite honest, I thought reaching $1000 would be easy, especially with all the connections I have on Facebook and Twitter. I figured even if half of my friends on Facebook donated $10 each, I’d hit the minimum fundraising requirement easily. Right now I am sitting at 80 per cent of the minimum fundraising goal and I would love to raise more than just the minimum.
Bust A Move Ottawa takes place on March 2, 2013. You can visit Melissa’s fundraising page here and follow her on Twitter here.
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Are you a hockey fan trying to make a difference or raise money for a good cause? We’d love to hear from you. Email erica(at)allhabs.net and we’ll be in touch!
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