Keep pedaling, more giving!

This week I met my fundraising goal for the 2011 Ride to Conquer Cancer!  Yay!!  With much thanks to some very generous friends and clients, I am now able to participate in the ride for the second year in a row and have raised over $5,700 during the last two years for the benefit of the BC Cancer Foundation.  But it is not time to sit back....there are still two more months until the ride and lots more fundraising to do!

This year, our corporate team has 33 members and has an aggregate fundraising goal of $133,500.  We've been busy planning fundraising events and getting our team ready for the two-day ride down to Redmond, WA.  We have ordered some awesome new custom ride Sugoi kits so our team will stand out on ride day (props to the folks at Speed Theory and the custom design team at Sugoi for helping in the process)!

What has been really inspiring about being involved with the corporate team is hearing the stories as to why people do the ride - hope, optimism, philanthropy and determination really do spring eternal to efforts like these.  The acts of fundraising and riding a bike for two days is nothing compared to the struggle to beat cancer, and in my mind, the very least we can do.  Cancer affects so many - it is a disease that strikes young and old alike, and every personal witness to it has a heartwrenching story to tell.

Survivors who participate in the ride can chose to ride with a flag on their bike and it was really astounding to look around the crowd of riders and see all the flags.  It was a testament not only to the power and conviction of the human spirit, but makes you feel grateful for every day you have to live.  Survivors are role models to us all, and those that have experienced loss are equivalently relentless in their determination to make a difference.

The reason I have chosen to support this particular charity is because I believe that they are also equally determined to make a difference.  The BC Cancer Centre is focused on advancing treatment and research, developing new therapies to save lives and very boldly seek a vision of a world free from cancer.  I'd like to believe that this is possible, for the sake of us all.

Although there are no more ride spots open for this year, if you have time to spare, you can get involved as part of the crew or by supporting one of the riders.  As for me....I think that with two months to spare, that perhaps I need to increase my fundraising goal!