Live music, street performers, ten-foot-tall cowboys, six-foot pac men, three-foot batmen (batboys, I suppose), numerous men and women racing uphill in their skivvies, BBQed hamburgers, a packed beer garden all contributed to a grand total of approximately $100,000 raised for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. That amount will be matched by Chip Wilson!

Not only did we have a stellar time at this Vancouver event, but Invoke also had a fantastic experience working intimately with Chip’s Not Dead Yet as the online marketing strategists for this event. We’d like to thank everyone who helped the event be a huge success – whether you be the businesses who blogged, the individuals who tweeted, or the organizations that rallied racers through Facebook and video contests. Of course, a huge thank you and raucous hand clapping is extended to Chip Wilson, founder of Lululemon, whose vision and spirit was integral in making this event the success it was.

Here are just a few of our memories from the past weekend:

Yesterday evening, we were lucky enough to spend some time at the Hospital, learning about our cause firsthand. Our tour at the BC Children’s Hospital and ensuing Q & A period with BCCH President Larry Gold opened our eyes to the staggering range of essential services and the complexity of running a cutting edge facility.

During the evening, we learned that BC Children’s provides care for approximately 72,000 children per year and supplies services for children in all of BC and the Northwest Territories. It’s a massive area to cover, both geographically and in terms of the sheer number of children in the area. (By contrast, both Calgary and Edmonton have their own Children’s hospitals; they’re by and large closer to their patients with a smaller population to cover.)

Children make up around 25% of North America’s population. From tiny newborns, to 3-year-old rugrats, to apathetic teens, there is no ‘one size fits all’ with kids. Everything from hospital beds, to monitoring tools, to the arm bands of blood pressure gauges must fit just right, especially when it comes to life-saving equipment that must fit into the tiny lungs and hearts of the patients born with malfunctions or disorders. (They make up around 50% of all patients at any given time.) Only 1% of all hospitals in North America are equipped to help those of us who are not tall enough to get on the rollercoaster.

Size is but one element of what makes children’s hospitals unique. Think about the difference between an infant and an adult in terms of their ability to communicate, and cope with stress. Ever tried to ask a distraught two-year-old to describe what’s ailing them? The extra time and attention that kids need, along with the specialized equipment, dramatically raises the cost for children’s hospitals, worldwide. This is not to mention the funding required for pediatrics training, doctor recruitment and retention, and research. Children’s hospitals cost typically 30% more to run than an average hospital.

That’s why the need for donations is so critical. Luckily, events like Chips Not Dead Yet can help raise funds. Today, try to notice all those little people under 4 feet tall; those crying, laughing, gurgling little rugrats who can’t get on the rollercoaster. And then, for those of you in Vancouver, consider joining us on June 20, 2009, to raise money for BC Children’s Hospital. You can register here.