today i got to ride with the pedal for hope team.
these guys (and one woman rider) are all police officers. oh, and there's john druce the former nhl player who managed to work his way onto the team and really belongs there to be honest!
they ride on their holidays - so three weeks - 1000 km and 53 schools!
the reason they ride is to raise money to help in the fight against cancer - especially pediatric cancer.
i lead my school in fundraising for the pedal for hope campaign and we worked for seven days
selling cupcakes, cookies, holding a raffle, hat day, stuffie day, jammie day, movie day, all sorts of stuff!
this is my second time working with the team but it was my first time riding with them.
i was really really excited!
it might seem strange but i barely slept the night before and couldn't eat breakfast.
the day started for the team at st. catherines school and they were swamped with heads to be shaved (which is the really big fundraiser) so we got off to a fairly late start to my school (otonabee valley).
fortunately, we had a police escort and rode in a loose echolon single-file. the pace was really nice - 30 to 45 km/h with one stretch downhill where i cracked 60+ km/h for the first time on a bike.
then we got to ride along the highway as the escort shut down a lane for us. that was extremely sweet as the road surface was smooth.
really smooth.
the whole school was out front cheering and yelling as we arrived.
the team and everyone else made their way back into our gym where an amazing, powerful, high energy celebration took place during which time several heads were shaved, girls donated ponytails to be made into wigs for girls who have lost their hair as a result of their treatments, and lots of ice cream was huffed back in whatever way was necessary by some eager ice cream eaters!!
here are the bikes lined up outside my school.
and here's me and my buddy habsy (sgt. marc habgood) enjoying a little quality time.
i'm the good looking boy on the left!!
i'm so proud of my school.
we raised $2300 towards cancer research.
28 comments:
It's so fun to ride with a group. You get lots of energy from them and get to experience a little of the security and the energy of the herd. You can at least dimly imagine the ecstasy of being a wolf in a pack or an bison in a herd.
And all for the good cause of raising money for pediatric cancer. One suggestion: would you include the link to the place where one might send some money to support your ride with these updates? Thanks, steven.
You're bloody awesome- that is a nice amount of cash for research or whatever. Hope you offered the officers a toke...oh, wait, wrong decade...hope you offered them some gentle advice about being polite policemen- let them know that a little poetry goes a long way with the rougher crowd. Your photo is WAY cool- look pretty much PRO!
excellent day, steven! sounds like a lot of hardworking fun. i'm proud of you and your school too. sometimes cancer awareness can be just as useful as research, and you've made a lot of people aware, too.
Congratulations. Great descritption of the ride, great cause, great photos. And great sunshine, I notice!
What a beautiful way to combine your love for cycling and the deep sense of solidarity that chacterizes you. I found the image of girls donating their ponytails to make wigs for girls who have lost their hair in the anti-cancer treatments very moving. I will share it with my teenage daugthers, who seem to spend more time on their hair than on almost any other pursuit.
hey dan!! you're so right. i don't often ride with a group and this one had a lot of energy. lots of support, camaraderie and chirping going on!! thanks for the suggestion. i have linked my one big ride for africycle on the sidebar. that takes you to a fundraising page i set up. the other fundraisers i do are smaller scale for the most part although this one i linked in the text (pedal for hope). have a lovely californian day! steven
awww thanks linda sue! the officers were fun. really they're a nice bunch of people who happen to be officers much like i happen to be a teacher. i don't envy them their day jobs that's for sure. thanks for the props about my pic. tomorrow you'll see a before and after that'll shake you to your core!! steven
hey nanu - hardworking fun it was!!!! thanks for the nice comments about me and my school. we're not a rich school at all and this represents a lot of money for us. other schools will raise much much more but the spirit of the thing is not only how much - it's the process. have a lovely day. steven
hey titus - it was an absolutely wickedgood sunny day!!! beautiful warm - lots of wind but who cares right. yep it's been lovely here this week. steven
lorenzo - it's an amazing thing to me the bravery of these kids. it really is. tell your girls - it's the hardest thing to explain how you can help someone you'll never know. but it's a worthy stry for a parent to pass on to their children. thanks for your lovely comment. steven
The little picture on your profile looks nothing like the full length of you in your cycling togs. Wonderful and congratulations on your success.
What a fabulous project and right up your little alley, too, with the cycling. Kudos to you and your team, Steven!
Super handsome pic, btw.
That's great! I'm glad you were able to ride with them - & that your school did such a good job with fundraising. All these efforts really do make a difference.
Hi Steven I can not write much at the moment,had some bike traffic accident,hurt left knee and few ribs,covered by bruises but happy Im alive! So glad when I read you are on your way,congratulations with everything,take good care on the road and good luck with everything!!
May your charms bring you more of goodies,bye! :O)
Aleksandra!
I'm in awe! Multi-talented,
multi-tasker are you! And a great citizen to boot! Bravo!
What a lovely lot of ideas for raising money steven - it is always good to involve children in these things too.
Bravo!! You are a force for good in the world, Steven. You are!
Standing ovation!
elisabeth - the little picture of me on my profile looks noting like you imagined i'd look like in my cycling togs!!! it's the same body, same person, same facet of the soul energy available on this plane of existence!!! just me. steven
hey willow thanks, i am who i am and through some strokes of good fortune i've been able to bring more goodness into this world on my own terms. have a lovely evening at the manor. steven
hi bug! thanks and i agree whole heartedly! steven
aleks . . . i'm very concerned that you got hurt. i really hope that you're alright and will heal up quickly. holland is such a bike-friendly country i have a hard time imagining accidents and yet . . . god bless you and keep you safe and well. steven
helen thankyou. i am who i am and i do whatever i can to bring goodness into this world. i am not alone. i take great joy in knowing and experiencing that! steven
weaver we had such fun - it's hard work to organize and then to sort through the moneys raised but it's so very worth it and to help the kids get inside this whole piece is a gift. steven
reya - thankyou. i am blessed - gifted even - by a very small part of the world that is working towards the same end - a different stance, a different perspective, even different work. but the essence i sense and tap into is goodness. you know that feeling don't you!! steven
You are changing lives for the better in ways you may never know, even by the example you set for the youngsters. Well done, Steven. I'm glad to know there are teachers like you out there.
Steven, you and all the other participants are an inspiration for us all. I appreciate your passion, not only in your writings and art, but your actions.
Hopefully, I will be able to meet you when you and the Africycle team ride into Rochester. Would like to contact you about support of that effort if possible....
Rick
You are a GOOD soul Steven
Happy days
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