Groups team up to Ride for Refuge
There’s still time to join this event that raises funds ‘to serve inner city needs’
Every year for the past several years The Bridge on 20th has participated in Ride For Refuge, a North America-wide event that raises money for a multitude of charities that work with displaced, vulnerable and exploited people around the world.
This year The Bridge is acting as host for Saskatoon’s Ride For Refuge which takes place on Saturday, Sept. 30. Kerry Reimer is in charge of community and donor relations for The Bridge. He says, “The Ride is not just for The Bridge. We only profit from the riders who ride specifically for us. The Bridge has several teams participating, and riders are doing this out of a passion to serve inner-city needs.”
Other teams participating in the Saskatoon event will be riding for Mennonite Church of Canada, Christian Counselling Services, Christians Against Poverty, Defend Dignity in Canada, Global Aid Network, and The Lighthouse.
Ride For Refuge is an organized, non-competitive bike ride with a 5 km walking option. The ride can be 10, 25, or 50 km and the route is focused on Meewasin Trail North. It starts and ends at Cornerstone Church on Lenore Drive and “pretty much sticks to Spadina Crescent and the Meewasin Trail,” Reimer says. “It’s a beautiful, scenic ride.”
So far about 20 teams are registered, slightly down from the number in last year’s event.
Reimer invites many more to put together a team or join an already existing team. There is no limit to the number of people who can be on a team, though eight to 10 is the average.
A team leader can register a team by contacting Reimer at The Bridge (306-382-2855) or by going to the Ride For Refuge website: www.rideforrefuge.org and registering there.
“Participants sign up, then get out and fundraise,” Reimer says. “They talk to their friends, neighbours, and people at their church or work, and try to raise funds ahead of the Ride. The average amount is generally about $200 per rider or $2,000 per team, but it’s purely arbitrary.”
The registration fee of $25 is waived if the participant commits to raising a minimum of $150 for adults aged 18 and up, or $75 for youth aged 11 to 17. Participants 10 and under are free. Anyone who raises $75 or more will receive a Ride T-shirt.
“This is a fun, family-oriented ride,” Reimer says. “All ages can participate. We even have an eightyear-old who has her own team this year. We also have several family teams, as well as a few businesses who have created teams.”
The Ride starts at 8 a.m. Riders are invited to gather at Cornerstone Church beforehand for coffee and refreshments. A celebratory luncheon at the church will follow the Ride.
Reimer says the Ride is generally finished by 11 a.m. “Those doing the 50K ride are usually experienced riders who can do the distance in a couple of hours.”
Snacks will be provided at rest stops along the route. Food donors this year are Subway and Crave Cupcakes. Major sponsors of the 2017 Ride For Refuge in Saskatoon are Affinity Credit Union and Kessler Insurance.
Reimer says The Bridge is hoping to raise $40,000 this year. The money will go to supporting and maintaining the organization’s ongoing operation and feeding program.
“Our overall goal is to continue bringing hope to the hopeless, food to the hungry and the love of God to all our neighbours,” he says. “The moneys raised will allow us to fully utilize the resources of our brand new facility at 1008 20th Street West.”
The Bridge has existed in the 20th Street neighbourhood for almost 20 years. Its mandate is to bring people from the inner city and from across the city together to meet needs and transform lives. The organization meets immediate physical needs with food, clothing and hygiene assistance, as well as providing a safe place to be.
“That’s what makes us different from other services,” Reimer says. “We also offer prayer, Christian discipleship and mentoring, all aimed toward sustainable transformation of lives while building unconditionally loving relationships.”
What does it mean for The Bridge to host the Ride For Refuge event?
“It means a big job for a small organization,” Reimer says, “but hosting benefits us by allowing us to connect with a variety of other charities we might not connect with under normal circumstances. We see hosting the event as unifying us with other groups who are also serving the homeless, the hopeless and the hungry.”
Since Ride For Refuge began in 2004, it has raised $12 million in North America and helped 500plus charities.
Visit www.rideforrefuge.org to contribute.