BONNYVILLE – As local bikers get ready for the Lakeland Motorcycle Ride for Dad event taking place on June 17, a kick-off barbecue has been organized to bring awareness to the charity event – providing the perfect opportunity for riders to warm up their engines.
The barbecue will be held in the parking lot of Sick Cycles in Bonnyville on May 10 and will run from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. Following the barbecue, a group ride will leave from Bonnyville heading to the Cold Lake Legion.
The community barbecue is by donation with all funds raised going to KidSport Bonnyville.
The kick-off event will serve as a way for local riders to learn about the annual Lakeland Motorcycle Ride for Dad event and about how simple it is to screen for prostate cancer.
Anyone interested in joining the charity ride that will be taking place over the Father's Day weekend will also have the chance to sign up for the multi-stop ride on May 10.
The cost to participate is $40 on or before Ride Day or free if an individual collects $100 in pledges.
This year, the ride will be starting at the Cherry Grove Community Centre.
While the complete route hasn’t been confirmed just yet, Shirley Hordal, an event organizer with the Lakeland chapter of Ride for Dad, confirmed the route will include a stop in St. Paul for a free lunch provided by Cornerstone Co-op.
Participants will then make their way back toward Bonnyville with Sick Cycles being the very last stop of the day.
Local ambassador
At the May 10 event, Lakeland Ride for Dad will also be welcoming the non-profit's first-ever ambassador, local musician Clayton Bellamy.
The non-profit approached Bellamy to be the Lakeland ambassador after finding a unique connection between the musician and the organization, explained Jan Stewart, the chairman for the Lakeland Motorcycle Ride for Dad.
Jason McCoy, front man of The Road Hammers and Bellamy’s bandmate, is the national ambassador for the Ride for Dad campaign.
“It’s been an honour to be National Ambassador for the Ride for Dad for the past 15 years,” McCoy told Lakeland This Week.
Joining forces with the Ride for Dad organization, McCoy has helped raise awareness and donations for prostate cancer research.
“I’ve seen firsthand, that the money raised from the ride powers research that literally saves lives. It’s imperative that we continue to spread the message that early detection is key, and I encourage every man to discuss this simple blood test with their doctor, it saved my Dad’s life, and it may just save yours,” McCoy said.
“We thank all of our riders, and those who pledge them, and we encourage you to visit www.ridefordad.ca to support a ride near you.”
First established in 2000, there are now close to 30 rides that take place across the country annually.
Ride for Dad’s mission is to fight prostate cancer by encouraging men to get tested for the disease and to improve the quality of life for men living with the prostate cancer.
To date, Ride for Dad has raised over $39 million with all proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation. Of that, the Lakeland Motorcycle Ride for Dad has raised over $93,000. The Lakeland chapter was established in 2015.
