BURNSVILLE, Minn. — “Carve for a Cure,” a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, was held on the slopes of Buck Hill on Sunday. This is the first time the Burnsville Ski Area has hosted this event.
“I’ve always wanted to do something like this, and when I found out Buck Hill was doing this, I was really excited,” said Chris Kalaytowicz, a snowboarder, who competed in this event.
It felt extra meaningful for Kalaytowicz to be part of this event as a cancer survivor.
“I am a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor. I was diagnosed in 2009 and I finished chemotherapy in 2011,” Kalaytowicz said.
Each participant in “Carve for a Cure” raises $150 and the money is used to fund cancer research and help patients.
“I like to give back. I help out with events at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, St. Jude [Children’s Research Hospital] and a lot of others,” Kalaytowicz said.
This is also a matter that hits close to home for the staff at Buck Hill. They lost one of their own, Justin Linde, to leukemia last summer. He was only 33 years old.
Many people who participated in this event felt a personal pull to be involved, like Eric Will.
“Six months ago my son Colton, who is four years old, was diagnosed with MPAL, which is two types of leukemia mixed together,” Will said.
Will is a manager at the Bloomington-based company Hero Home Services, which is the title sponsor of the “Carve for a Cure” event.
“Hero has been great working with us and delivering on commitments, so when we heard this it was a no-brainer to get involved,” said Will.
Anyone who skis and snowboards for this purpose also sends a message to fighters, like Colton.
“That you’re not alone, and that people here have your back and love you and support you,” Will said.
Buck Hill says it raised more than $7,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at Sunday’s event. The plan is to make it an annual fundraiser.
