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2020 has been a trying time for Canadian Charities on a whole. We're blessed to have so many dedicated Volunteers, Riders and Friends in the Ride for Sight family. Although fundraising is down this year, as expected, we are thrilled with the donations that you have directed to Vision Research this year and wanted to share some of the details.
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Although the Ride for Sight Celebration in Alberta had to be cancelled this year,
Volunteers, Riders, and Friends
delivered over
$85,000
to
Vision Research in 2020!
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Alberta Volunteers Tina Ryberg and Chuck Holmstrom, delivered a $40,000 cheque, on behalf of Ride for Sight, to the University of Calgary for Dr. Sarah McFarlane’s research project. You can learn more about Dr. McFarlane's research here: https://www.fightingblindness.ca/.../dr-mcfarlane-2019/
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The Alberta Ride for Sight Volunteer Team delivered a $30,000 cheque to Fighting Blindness Canada in October. Alberta Riders and Friends delivered over $13,500 in donations to Fighting Blindness Canada, and some of those donations were matched by generous personal donations from members of the Board of Directors, bringing the total to over $15,000.
(pictured 2020 High Miler Matthew Sitar)
Top Canadian Fundraiser 2020
Jerry Kubik of Alberta
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Ride for Sight 2020 Top Fundraisers
Jerry Kubik of Lethbridge, AB
Tony Sokic of Brampton, ON
John Kane of Toronto, ON
Steve Brown of Toronto, ON
Derek George of Mississauga, ON
Tony Massel of Dublin, ON
in Memory of Rider Gary Massel
Paul & Rene Deveau of Keswick, ON
Matt & Shirley Criger of London, ON
David Connor of Guelph, ON
Jim Bentley, Mississauga, ON
April Watts of Toronto, ON
Robert Laite of Peterborough, ON
Harold Harding of Fenelon Falls, ON
Fiona McLean of Calgary, AB
Keith Andison of Edmonton, AB
Sandy Massel of Stratford, ON
John Tiernay of Dresden, ON
Randy McKnight of Innisfil, ON
Steve Marchione of Mississauga, ON
Paul Murray of Pickering, ON
Donna Skinner of Innisfil, ON
David Schmidt of Guelph, ON
Shannon Sitar of Edmonton, AB
Matthew Sitar of Edmonton, AB
Brenda Dainard of Brockille, ON
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The decision to move forward with a Ride for Sight Celebration in Fenelon Falls September 18-19th, 2020 was not made lightly by the Volunteer Team, or without a lot of extra planning. Ontario was solidly in Stage 3 of reopening, and we had reached out to the community we were celebrating in to address any concerns they might have.
Due to restrictions we were only able to take 100 Riders and Friends into the weekend celebration. The 42nd Ride for Sight Celebration was dedicated to long-time Rider Gary Massel who passed earlier in the year. Gary had already started fundraising, and his brother Tony added that money to his "In Memory of Gary Massel ONLINE Fundraising page - raising over $2,300.
Riders raised over $47,000 in donations, this was topped up by some personal matching donations from members of the FBC Board of Directors, and over $52,000 was delivered to Fighting Blindness Canada.
Top Ontario Fundraiser
Tony Sokic of Brampton
Six bands entertained the Riders over the weekend and they all sounded great thanks to the enhanced staging and sound donated by Music By the Bay Live. The Bands all played for very reduced honorariums, and a special shout out to Voodoo Pawn Shop - who donated all their time and talent. The usual Bike Games, Burn Outs, Silent Auction, and High Miler Dinner, all had a bit of a Covid safety twist, along with the negative temps at night - made for a one of a kind celebration.
We want to thank the Fenelon Falls Community for welcoming us, the many departments of The City of Kawartha Lakes - including Community Services, Health, Fire, Police, and Licensing that we liaise with, and the great local Fenelon Falls business and service club supporters like: Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Fenelon Agriculture Society, Highlands Propane, Fenelon Falls Lions Club, and the Fenelon Falls Legion.
We thank our tireless Volunteers, who not only plan the Celebration, but those who spread the message all year long, and those who work the event all weekend long. We thank all our incredible fundraising Riders, those who stayed at home, and "The 100" who joined us at the Celebration. The usual respect shown by our Riders for the necessary rules and regs onsite was appreciated by your Volunteers.
We're happy to share with everyone a little of the Celebration...
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It doesn't happen without research! The efforts of our Canadian Riders in fundraising for vision research many years ago, helped Fighting Blindness Canada fund some of the early research that led to this amazing treatment. Although watching a health news clip is not as much fun as watching a Ryan Reynolds movie trailer - this one is well worth your time...
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42 years later...
We're still here, our mission is not complete. But now each year we are moving faster and faster towards the cures.
Now we are hearing about and even seeing results. Because of research funded by Canadians through Riders and Friends
of Ride for Sight, Scientists have a clearer understanding into many of the causes of blindness,
needed treatments are being developed, and in some cases - sight has been restored.
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