Amsterdam students are raising money for cancer research with a canal rally

For the past ten years, the Driving against Cancer Foundation has been raising money for the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF Kankerbestrijding) by organizing car rallies in Rotterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft, and Groningen. Amsterdam is participating for the first time this year—not on the road, but on the water. “The foundation started in Rotterdam and then expanded to other cities. In Amsterdam, we’ve been working for about four years to get it off the ground,” explains Jill Karel, a student of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and a member of the organization.

The participants—in teams of four, six, or eight people—will start on September 26 at the H’art Museum, sail the rally, and end the day with a dinner, drinks, and an awards ceremony. The rally will take place on Amsterdam’s canals, though the exact route is still being mapped out. It’s not a race where the boats have to overtake each other on the water: “The game element, just like in the car rally, lies in scoring points through challenges. For example, recognizing photos,” says Jill.

Boats instead of cars

Amsterdam is the only city where the rally uses boats instead of cars. There are a few reasons for this: “Amsterdam has such beautiful canals and is known for its tour boats. So it’s fun to do something with that,” Jill explains. The environment also plays a role: in rallies like this, people often drive old cars, and Amsterdam has strict rules regarding emissions. “Plus, it’s just really busy in Amsterdam’s city center, so it’s also more practical on the water.”

The rallies are organized every year by the local student associations. In Amsterdam, A.S.C./A.V.S.V. handles the organization. That was quite a task, says Jill. “There was a lot involved; we had underestimated that a bit.” For example, finding participants. “It’s quite a niche group: people with a boat who are willing to pay a fair amount of money for the KWF.” Participation starts at 1,000 euros for a team of four people. Fortunately, it worked out; the student corps tapped into their network, and so the number of participants is coming in.

Luxury auction items

After the rally, the evening program takes place at the A.S.C./A.V.S.V. clubhouse. It includes a three-course dinner, a raffle, and an auction. The auction features mainly luxury items, such as an overnight stay at Artis Zoo and a glider flight. At the end of the evening, the prize will be awarded and the day’s proceeds announced. The organizers are already looking forward to it: “Now that everything is going well, we’re really excited. Especially for the evening itself, the moment the check with the final amount is presented: that’s when it all becomes real—the reason we’ve been working so hard.”

You can register here. The rally takes place on September 26.