Miranda BrumwellAfter the success of Wounded Warriors’ Battlefield Bike Ride, which were held in Europe to commemorate First and Second World Wars and the conflict in Yugoslavia, the organization is creating a ride to connect Canadians to the Highway of Heroes.
Ride Director, Steven Topham, explained, participants from the Battlefield Bike Ride started expressing interest in having a Memorial Ride closer to home. Since both the Highway of Heroes and Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) both connect in Whitby, Topham decided it would be a great way to remember the fallen and raise awareness for WWC, creating the Highway of Heroes Ride.
Their mission is to reconnect Canadians to the Highway of Heroes and pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for Canada and our freedom; raise awareness about mental health for CAF Member, Veterans and First Responders; and raise money for WWC mental health programs and services. With the last two rides, they’ve collected close to $250,000.
The route begins at the Afghanistan Repatriation Memorial in Trenton, follows the same stretch of highway as the funeral convoys that carry the fallen Canadian Armed Forces service men and women and finishes at the Ontario Veterans War Memorial in Queens Park in Toronto.
The two-day ride starts on August 25, 2018, and there are two different distance options, 180 km or 220 km.
Topham said they usually get an average of 100 participants and they’re ahead of schedule this year compared to last year.
“At present, I believe we’re at 60 participants, and we’re just starting to think about our bikes. We’re very excited about the numbers,” he added.
Registration is still open for the ride. To find out more about the ride, click here.
