Teen cyclist supports Feed Nova Scotia
Virtual 50k trek raises more than $5,100
A Dartmouth high school student and volunteer spent two hours and 50 kilometres raising money for Feed Nova Scotia on Sunday morning without leaving his home.
Callum Myers, a Grade 12 student at Prince Andrew, has volunteered with the organization and says he has seen the good it does.
He is part of the Canada Games development squads in triathlon and biking, and encouraged others in his sports to take part in a virtual 50-kilometre ride using an app and device that lets cyclists use their bikes inside.
A dozen people took part and sought sponsorship. Callum had set his own fundraising goal at $2,500, but when he reached that quickly he doubled it. He ended up raising more than $5,100 on his own.
He said he planned to do a fundraiser for Relay for Life earlier this year, but that event, and his volunteering at Feed Nova Scotia, were impacted by COVID-19.
“With COVID there's a lot more need for help (from Feed Nova Scotia). Food security is a pretty big issue and COVID exacerbated the problem I think,” he said. “I wanted to help out.”
The virtual bike ride and fundraiser with other members of his two sports “was a nice way to bring people together,” he said.
With the success of the fundraiser, Callum is looking at the possibility of making it an annual event.
The long ride worked in well with his training, he said, which has shifted indoors more during the pandemic.
He was doing more swimming last winter, but when pools were shut down he moved to more biking and running, which were areas he wanted to focus on.
While the Canada Games have been postponed from last year to next, Callum thinks the delay has made him stronger as he tries to make the Nova Scotia team for next year.