Thursday 14 May 2015

Eden's East Side Road Ride

The first ever Eden’s East Side Road Ride is scheduled for Saturday August 29th, 2015.   Eden’s East Side Road Ride is a fund-raiser to support mental health recovery programs for individuals living in our Southern Health region.  By registering for this first ever event and raising funds, you’re making a profound difference in the lives of many individuals living with a mental health challenge.  One in four Manitobans will be directly affected by a serious mental health concern in their lifetime.  The pledges raised from the bike ride will go to support Eden’s mental health recovery programs. Click HERE to go to Eden Health Care Services website.  These programs include supported housing and employment programs for individuals dealing with significant mental health issues.  Subsidized counselling services through Recovery of Hope help individuals and families on lower incomes access needed support.  The good news is that with the right supports and services, individuals can recover from mental illness.  Your participation in this cycling fundraiser can help us maintain this valuable service, restoring hope and healing in people's lives.

Click HERE to go directly to the on-line registration page to join us for an 80 km group ride along the gently rolling paved highway #210.  You can join as an individual or create a team together with co-workers or friends and get a “buzz” going about what you’re doing.  You can down-load a Cyclist’s Manual HERE which will give you lots of information about the event, how you can participate, how to prepare for the ride and some very helpful fund-raising tips.  When you register on-line you will also have an on-line fund-raising vehicle available for you to use.

Eden’s East Side Road Ride starts at the La Broquerie Hotel and heads east and south past fertile farm land.  Within a few kilometers the road has a gentle rise and fall which leads the cyclists into the wooded area that has the Sandilands Provincial Park at its heart.  Not far down the road is The Ranger Station camping spot inside the Sandilands Provincial Park where you’ll have an opportunity to stop and use bathroom facilities.  At this location, you’ll be resupplied with water and snacks for the stretch to the turn-around point at Woodridge. 

Once you’ve reached the turn-around in Woodridge you’ve ridden about forty kilometers and the total climb has been about 100 meters.  If you’ve maintained a nice leisurely pace of about 20 kph, you’ll have been rolling for a little over two hours.  You’re on your way back and knowing that you climbed 100 meters, it’s pretty much down-hill back to La Broquerie.

Our event ends at Gospel Chapel in La Broquerie, where we’ll have a BBQ going and we’ll end off with a few awards and a silent auction so bring along a few extra bucks.

Funds raised as a result of this event will be used to support those services and programs that are part of the community's dream in achieving hope and healing.  The most needed areas are for financial support for counselling services as expressed through Recovery of Hope and for employment services as provided through Segue Career Options program.  The big dream this year, is to build up a financial resource to purchase a parcel of land to build a new supportive housing apartment building in Steinbach using Penfeld Court and Concordia Village IV as models for this new building.  It's a need that has been identified by concerned and engaged citizens of Steinbach and Eden has been invited to partner in this project.

You are invited to be part of the ride and the project.  Join as an individual or gather a group together and form a team.