SUDBURY – Martial Arts athletes from across northern Ontario gathered in Sudbury on October 26 for the 4th annual Roll-a-Thon event.
The event raised money for the local hospice.
Event organizer Chris Newman says it all began after a local MMA athlete lost their battle with mental illness.
"To raise awareness for mental health issues and to remember him… We had the first Roll-a-Thon event and we raised money for the Sudbury Mental Health Association in his honour. And then unfortunately, about a year later, we lost another member of our community Jennifer Lower who this current event is in honour of, and she lost a battle to cancer… she passed away at the hospice," explained Newman.
Participants travelled from Timmins, North Bay and everywhere in between.
The day included a seminar by New Liskeard BJJ Black Belt Professor Chino Ramirez, followed by a four hour open roll, the Jiu-Jitsu form of sparring.
"The Canadian Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community is actually a very close knit community. You know, regardless of the fact that you may be from this or that club, nobody's going to close a door for you to come and train, and that's why when the Roll-a-Thon comes along you know everybody is like 'tell me where it is and I'll show up'," said Ramirez.
"The Jiu-Jitsu community in northern Ontario has been really supportive of the event and it has been a lot of fun, but you know the main thing is that we're supporting a charity that does so much for Sudbury," says Newman.
Since its inception, the Roll-a-Thon has raised $4,800.
Newman says the hope is that with this year's event, the total will reach over the $5000 mark.
