40 Years of Remembering Mark: A Tradition That Gives Back
Some stories are about more than fundraising. They are about friendship, family, memories and finding a way to make a difference, even decades after losing someone you love.
For the past 40 years, a group of hunters has gathered for an annual memorial hunt in honor of Mark Larson, who passed away from leukemia at just 22 years old.
Recently, we had the opportunity to visit the group’s hunting shack, where we were welcomed by the men who have kept this special tradition alive. We spent time looking through photographs from each year of the memorial hunt, hearing stories and memories, and admiring the trophy that has been part of this tradition for four decades.
But the story goes much deeper than a memorial hunt.
For Mark’s sister, Dolores Larson, the connection to South Central Cancer Resource is deeply personal. Her family had already experienced the heartbreak of losing their mother to breast cancer at just 50 years old, leaving four children behind. Years later, they would face another devastating loss when Mark was diagnosed with leukemia.
At the time, Dolores was raising three young children with her husband on their family farm. As a young farming family with limited financial resources, the challenges of travelling to Winnipeg for cancer treatment were significant.
Mark often had to make the long drive to Winnipeg for chemotherapy on his own. Dolores remembers how, after treatment, he would sometimes become so sick that he had to pull over along the highway before continuing the long journey home, all by himself.
Dolores shared that she wishes she could go back and have the time to take her brother to those appointments. Life was busy with three young children and the demands of farm life, and it wasn’t always possible. But today, she has that time, and she has found a meaningful way to give it to others.
Dolores is now one of SCCR’s dedicated volunteer driver coordinators, helping connect individuals facing cancer with transportation to appointments and treatments. Through this role, she helps ensure that others have someone by their side and don’t have to face the challenges of getting to treatment alone.
Following Mark’s passing, a group of hunters came up with the idea of organizing a memorial hunt in his honor. What began as a way to remember their friend has continued for 40 years. Featuring a Biggest Buck Contest, the event has become a longstanding tradition, with the winner each year responsible for donating the funds raised to South Central Cancer Resource.
What began as a way to remember a friend has grown into a tradition that continues to make a difference in the lives of local families affected by cancer.
Forty years later, Mark’s memory lives on through the friendships, stories, photographs and the generosity of everyone who has helped keep this tradition going.
To Dolores, and all the hunters and friends who have been part of this incredible tradition over the years, thank you. Thank you for remembering Mark, for sharing his story, and for turning his memory into something that continues to bring hope and support to others.
Forty years of friendship. Forty years of remembering Mark. And a legacy that continues to make a difference.
Thank you for being part of the SCCR family ❤️
