By Mark Dreger
The Cops for Kids cycling team arrived back in Kelowna Saturday after a 10 day ride across southern B.C. to raise money to assist children in medical crisis.
Dignitaries, RCMP leadership, families, supporters, and the Little Ambassadors, who benefit from the fundraising efforts, were in attendance at the Ramada Hotel to welcome the riders from the 16th annual Cops for Kids Ride that left Kelowna, Friday Sept. 8.
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Twenty-four cyclists, who left Kelowna Sept. 8, rode into the parking lot led by a Little Ambassador riding a three wheeler. Behind the riders were two police cruisers, one of which mimicked the 91裸聊视频淏luesmobile91裸聊视频� cruiser from the film The Blues Brothers.
91裸聊视频�(The ride) was excellent,91裸聊视频� said Const. John Bauer of Kelowna, who completed his 7th annual ride this year. 91裸聊视频淲e really lucked out with the weather and got to meet some pretty amazing families and kids.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淥ver the years I91裸聊视频檝e seen colleagues of mine from my office go on these rides and I thought this year is my turn to give back a bit,91裸聊视频� added Const. Andrew McCabe of Nelson, who completed his first Cops for Kids Ride with desire to complete more.
While Bauer, McCabe, and many others completed the whole trip, some only rode sections of the grueling trip within their communities while still raising money for kids.
91裸聊视频淪ome of the challenges were getting used to the road, the traffic, and being in a big group,91裸聊视频� McCabe said. 91裸聊视频淵ou had to find your speed and find your spot. It91裸聊视频檚 not like being on your own; you just had to pace yourself well and you start being part of the team pretty quick.91裸聊视频�
Cops for Kids raised more than $300,000 and will fund all 170 requests for assistance that Cops for Kids received this year from families in need within the southern B.C. communities.
91裸聊视频淯nreal,91裸聊视频� McCabe said. 91裸聊视频淚 cannot believe that that91裸聊视频檚 the amount we came up with. It feels awesome because we91裸聊视频檝e met some of the kids that the money91裸聊视频檚 going within the local communities and I know it91裸聊视频檚 going to help.91裸聊视频�
Despite the hard work and energy to ride up and down hills and valleys to complete the full trip, Bauer and McCabe both will do this ride again.
91裸聊视频淭hose all pale in comparison to what you can see some of these little children are dealing with in their lives,91裸聊视频� Bauer said. 91裸聊视频淚t keeps us motivated just having them in the backs of our minds.91裸聊视频�
The 10 day trip began in Kelowna and moved south to Osoyoos before riders travelled east to Cranbrook. The bikers then drove to Golden where the ride continued through Three Valley Gap, Salmon Arm, Kamloops, Vernon, and finally back to Kelowna.
91裸聊视频淲e certainly couldn91裸聊视频檛 do it individually,91裸聊视频� Bauer said. 91裸聊视频淓very little community that we ran into has got people that are providing us lunches. Without their help this kind of stuff wouldn91裸聊视频檛 be possible.91裸聊视频�
