Okanagan participants from this year’s Cops for Kids ride will roll through Vernon Saturday and supporters are encouraged to get out and cheer them on as they enter the final leg of their journey.
The yearly fundraiser sees area police officers and supporting enforcement agencies from within the Southeast District ride from Kelowna to Cranbrook and back to the Okanagan over nine days to raise awareness and essential funds for children in medical, physical or traumatic crises. The 27 Okanagan participants started on Sept. 10 in Kelowna and will pass through Vernon on Saturday before ending their journey Sunday.
Representing Vernon this year are Const. Nick Reimann and dispatcher Kathryn Ahvenus, who said the ride to support local children requiring assistance gets to the heart of what they do each day.
It’s my favourite part of the year, and it reminds me why I chose to be a police officer,
Reimann said. Along the way, we’ve been able to accomplish our goal of raising money for the kids and representing our national police force.
After a modified format in 2020, the team reunited to cycle as a group across the region this year. In order to keep the team and the communities safe, they’ve been travelling in a bubble without community landings in each community like in past years.
What has remained the same is that each rider who participates in the annual event must provide their own bike, train on their own time, volunteer at community events and fundraise a minimum of $2,500 in order to participate.
Funds from the event support ongoing requests from families who require financial assistance to travel to medical care outside their home community, emergency dental treatment, medical supplies, learning tools and mobility aids. Since 2001, the foundation has raised over $5.8 million for local children who need it most.
This year we’ve got returning veterans making up our team, so each rider has been hand-selected as someone that wants to make a difference for local kids,
ride captain retired staff sergeant Julio Krenz said in a release. These are some of the most dedicated folks you’ll ever meet.
The 2021 ride is presented by the Impact Tomorrow Foundation. Also, this year’s riding jersey features a pink sleeve — a nod to the mothers and families of sick children.
To follow the team along their journey or to make a donation, visit the website at copsforkids.org or follow along on Facebook or Instagram.
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