WINMAR Along for the Ride

WINMAR is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the 17th annual Tbaytel Motorcycle Ride for Dad on Saturday, June 17. Owner Adam Cianfagna (pictured second from right) along with his family and team at WINMAR invite everyone to participate and raise important funds for prostate cancer research, diagnosis and treatment through the Northern Cancer Fund.

By Heather Vita - May 17, 2017

As the Tbaytel Motorcycle Ride for Dad gears up for its 17^th year, one local business decided they needed to get on board. For WINMAR Owners, Adam and Dominic Cianfagna, the decision to become presenting sponsor of the event was an easy one. “I don’t think I’ve met anyone who’s not been affected by cancer,” Adam says. “Way too many people have gone through it or have died from it.”

Cancer hits especially close to home for Adam and his wife Jen, who lost her father to Leukemia when she was just 5. A father of three young children, that fact hits Adam hard. “My daughters are at a similar age as Jen was when she lost her Dad and I just can’t imagine not being around as they grow up,” he says.

Adam also believes strongly in the need to keep funds in town to support local care. “Our company places local initiatives very highly, because this is where we work, this is our community and we care about the people in it. So anything we can do to make sure our community is taken care of, we’ll get behind.”

WINMAR, formerly known as B and D Construction, has been instrumental in Thunder Bay for its specialty in restoration projects. Adam and his team take pride in the impression they leave, not just for their quality of work, but in how they interact with customers. “We actually carry a box of Kleenex in our trucks at all times,” says Adam, “because homeowners are so emotional with whatever situation  has brought us to them. Particularly when the floods hit a few years ago – that was hard. We treat every home as if it’s our own, and while we’re restoration specialists, we often take the role of counselors, knowing that, if it was our family member going through this, we’d want them treated with empathy and compassion too.”

This need for understanding and helping people has led Adam to create a team of staff that he knows are phenomenal. “It’s like the staff at the Cancer Centre,” he says. “You have to be an expert in what you do, but then you have to be able to apply your expertise in a way that puts people at ease. I have a lot of respect for the healthcare professionals that are working to give people hope every day. I think our team does the same – we’re not trying to manage an illness, but we are fixing something that’s gone wrong in people’s lives.”

A motorcycle owner himself, Adam is particularly looking forward to being a part of this year’s Ride. “I’ve actually never been on a ride before,” he says laughing. “I usually go out on my own to clear my head, so I’m very eager to get together with so many other people and have a great day raising money for the Northern Cancer Fund.”

The proceeds from the event are directed specifically to advancing research, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. In the past 16 years, the event has raised $948,105 with funds directed to equipment such as linear accelerators (used in radiation therapy), a BAT Ultrasound, an HDR Brachytherapy Unit and much more. Most importantly, the awareness raised by the event has helped men and their families discuss prostate cancer in a much more open forum. For the 1 in 8 men who will be diagnosed, there is great hope as, when detected early, prostate cancer is highly treatable.

Adam invites everyone in the community, regardless of whether they own a motorcycle or not, to join the festivities at the Victoria Inn on June 17. “Come watch the ‘Roar for the Cure’ at 9:30 a.m. and let’s make this a ride to remember!”

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