Cruising through the Northland to support those with cancer

The 2024 Cruise for Cancer event kicked it into high gear Saturday and sent supporters throughout the Northland for a good cause.

The Cruise for Cancer event kicked off at 8am at the Essentia Heritage Center in Duluth. The cruise included over 80 venues throughout the Northland with fun challenges and prizes for participants along the way.

"I'm a part of it. My family, my dad, my mom, my sisters, all of our friends, all of the volunteers. If it wasn't for them this wouldn't be possible. If it wasn't for the community this wouldn't be possible. It takes a number of us, it takes a whole crew, but we take hours and hours to make it happen and we wouldn't want it any other way. We would take days and days and months and months and months to plan this if we have to and we do," said Brooke Netzel, a participant of the event.

This year's event was made extra special because it was dedicated Duluth's own Syl Hantz and family. The Hantz family own the A & Dubs Drive In , located in Lincoln Park in West Duluth. Syl and his family have also been supporting the Cruise for Cancer since the early years of the event. Now the support is being returned as Syl battles cancer himself.

"This year is extra special because it's for Syl and Sandy who are the owner of A & Dubs . They have been one of our first ever supporters since we started this way back when. They're huge in the community, everyone knows who they are, and we thought it was only right to do it for them this year. We always do it for somebody with cancer and we thought it was only right to do it for them. Because of how much support and stuff they've shown us throughout the years," said Netzel.