The Tour de Rock cyclers pedalled through Lake Cowichan Tuesday, with stops at Palsson Elementary and Lake Cowichan Secondary, and left with about $10,000 to help with cancer research.

Tour de Rock activities began at Palsson Elementary even before the cyclists arrived, with teacher Kim Walters and principal Fergus Horsburgh having their curly locks clipped.

Eleven-year-old middle school student Matthew Kercher, a cancer survivor, did the honours on his grandmother Walters’ head.

Walters had made the commitment some time ago that, when Kercher no longer needed treatment for his leukemia, she would have her head shaved. Kercher, one of this year’s junior Tour de Rock riders, had undergone cancer treatment for close to four years.

“Oh, it’s wonderful,” said Walters. “I am so glad I got to do this because it means that Matthew is doing better.”

She raised $1,565 for the Tour de Rock.

Horsburgh then got his head shaved by his sons from Maple Bay.

The Tour de Rock arrived at Palsson School just after 11:30 a.m., to a rousing, boisterous cheer from the students. Kercher and Horsburgh then presented Palsson School’s cheque for $1,069 to Tour de Rocker Sgt. Barrie Cockle of the Victoria Police Department.

Then it was off to Lake Cowichan Secondary School for another loud Tour de Rock rally that included more donation presentations, head shaves and cuts, as well as lunch for the riders.

Arla Broughton of Lake Cowichan let her hair grow for a couple of years and then on Tuesday had a foot of it cut off by Tammy Lloyd of Link Salon and Spa. That hair will be made into a wig for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Fred Neault of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 210 was proud to present more than $500 collected at the Lake Cowichan branch.

Jeannette Lundgren, Lake Cowichan’s Tour de Rock coordinator, was thrilled with the response from the community.