A student-led cycling team from the University of Texas will be spending the next two days in Prince George as part of their annual 70-day, 4,000 mile ride to Anchorage, Alaska.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) some of the 20 riders will be taking part in a half-marathon that includes a stop at the Canfor Leisure Pool and then volunteer their time at the city’s B.C. Cancer Facility.
From there, they will occupy one of the non-profit booths at the Canada Day celebration at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.
Community engagement chair, Leah Tharakan explained to Vista Radio what initiatives they will be taking part in during our country’s birthday.
“What we have been hearing a lot about during the time on our ride so far in Canada is about the reconciliation efforts that Canada has been making towards that relationship with the Indigenous population. What we are doing on Canada Day is recognizing that.”
She added each rider commits to raising a minimum of $7,500 with all the proceeds going towards cancer research and support services.
“Especially with our exposure to cancer, it is primarily very rural or the issues that we experience are superficial but they don’t go back in history quite like Canada’s does. Everybody pitches in money from wherever we go and I think it is a community and collective effort in the fight against cancer.”
“When we are entering Prince George, we will be meeting with BC Cancer volunteering with them learning more about how the cancer departments run and see how they interact with the Indigenous populations here and that is not something we are aware of at all as Americans.”
Tharakan stated a fundraising goal of $550,000 has been set with $336,000 raised so far. She added once the ride is over, all the money goes into a pot and then a grants committee is established and decides where the money goes.
The group of 20 riders reached McBride on Sunday and are staying over in Purden Lake this evening (Monday).
Over 60 riders on three teams cycle three separate routes from Texas to Alaska, which are titled Sierra, Rockies and Ozarks.
The Rockies route has taken them through Colorado, Idaho, Oklahoma, Utah and into Calgary and through Banff and Jasper National Parks.
The ride began in Austin, Texas May 15th and wraps up July 24th in Anchorage, Alaska.
A full link to the route can be found here.
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