VANCOUVER -- Dozens of Kris Kringle lookalikes are expected to be spotted jogging around the Stanley Park seawall this weekend as Vancouver's inaugural Santa Run kicks off.
While runners may be spreading holiday cheer this Saturday, they're also raising money for the BC Professional Firefighters' Burn Fund and its annual Burn Camp.
Ray Boucher, vice president of the Firefighters Burn Fund, says supporting the burn fund is a "natural thing" for firefighters to do.
"The money goes to help burn survivors and frequently they're children," he told CTV Morning Live Tuesday.
With funds raised, about 70 to 90 of those kids get the chance to attend the annual Burn Camp, where young burn survivors participate in group activities like swimming, hiking, kayaking, rafting, waterskiing and crafts.
They also receive one-on-one support from junior counsellors – who are also burn survivors – and from their senior counsellors, who are doctors, nurses, medical therapists, adult burn survivors and professional firefighters donating their time.
The cost for one child to attend Burn Camp is just under $3,000 but thanks to fundraisers like the Santa Run, all kids attend for free.
Everyone who registers for the inaugural run will be provided with a Santa suit to wear. There's a five-kilometre run for adults and a one-kilometre run for kids.
"You can run, walk however you want to get through the 5K. Anything goes," Boucher said.
Participants also get to take a free ride on the Stanley Park Christmas Train, which raises money for the burn fund too.
The run begins at 9:30 a.m. and registration is still open online.
