About 70 cyclists rode down the Rideau Canal to raise money for Ottawa’s Ride for Refuge, a cycling fundraiser to provide support services to refugee and vulnerable populations.
Wearing shirts that read, “Love, Sweat, and Gears,” riders brought in over $24,000, most of which will go to support charitable groups in the Ottawa area.
The event started at Sunnyside Wesleyan Church in Old Ottawa South and kicked off Sept. 1 at 9 a.m. with a speech from Mayor Jim Watson. It was followed by a couch-pushing race meant to publicize the services of the Furniture Bank of Ottawa, which provides free recycled furniture to needy families. Cyclists left the starting line after the couches came to a stop, heading down either their seven or 20 kilometre route.
Margaret, who did not want to give her full name due to her refugee status, was a former resident of Matthew House, one of the charities receiving funds through the Ride for Refuge. A not-for-profit group that provides short-term accommodation and general assistance for new refugee claimants in Ottawa, Matthew House provided food and shelter, emotional and psychological support, and general assistance to Margaret through its services.
“When you call them, they are there for you. When you cry, they wipe your tears,” Margaret said. A volunteer for the Ride for Refuge event, Margaret said that she wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to her.
Five church and charitable organizations from Ottawa entered teams to ride in the bicycling fundraiser, including top grossing team Matthew House/Furniture Bank Ottawa, which brought in over $15,000, along with Ratanak International, African Inland Mission, World University Service of Canada, and Word Made Flesh.
Each organization will receive 70 per cent of funds raised by their respective teams, while 30 per cent will go to Blue Sea Philanthropy, the group that coordinates the event in 26 cities across North America.
Some volunteers went beyond the race’s distance requirements to meet their personal fundraising goals. Harrison Boyd, a second-year Carleton journalism student, promised his donors that if he met his goal of $1,000 as a rider for Ratanak International he would ride 100 km. He ultimately raised $1,148.13 and had to ride the 100 km to the finish line for the charity, a Christian NGO that assists with various relief projects in Cambodia.
The event was sponsored by a number of local businesses, including Starbucks, Piller’s Fine Foods, Luis’s Garage, and Alpha Marketing. About 50 people volunteered for the event, staffing rest stops, driving near riders in case of emergency, assisting with food preparation and organizing the event.
The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) supported the fundraiser by accepting donations at its businesses, like Haven Books and Oliver’s Pub, according to journalism councillor Matthew Couto. Couto was one of the councillors who brought forward a motion asking council to support the fundraiser.
The motion was controversial at the time, as Ratanak International, a Christian organization, was involved with the Ride. CUSA generally does not support religious organizations, but the motion passed anyway.
Marc and Kim Wyatt were two of the lead volunteers for the event, having been instrumental in the founding of Matthew House in Ottawa, which will celebrate its second anniversary on Nov. 1. They each organized a team to participate in Ride for Refuge, competing to see who could raise the most funds. While Marc’s team won the fundraising competition by several hundred dollars, Kim was not far behind, and the couple together raised $5,500.
“It was a successful day,” said head organizer for the Ride for Refuge Michael Franklin. “We really appreciated the support of the university students, businesses, and volunteers that made this day possible.”
Donations will continue to be collected until the end of October. The Ride for Refuge hopes to raise $1.5 million across all North American locations for the “displaced, vulnerable, or exploited,” according to its website.
