Cycling enthusiasts, community members, and philanthropists all gathered in Mallorytown for the third edition of Ride the River. According to organizer Joan Simon, the annual event began in 2020 for one simple, but admirable goal
“We needed to raise $12.5 million for the hospital’s MRI and equipment campaign,” Simon said.
After raising 800,000 last year, she says their goal for this year was to raise $1 million.
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“As of today we had $503,000 from riders, pledges and everything”
That amount was then matched by a couple of anonymous donors bringing the total this year to just over $2 million. The donations and support have come from all corners of the community, including adults like Yervant Arzoumanian.
“MRI is the standard of care in a lot of medicine today. We haven’t had one in Brockville, it’s way overdue,” Arzoumanian said.
Children like six-year-old Evelyn Galway-Peters are also among that community, who, through her lemonade stand, has generated over $1,000 for the hospital. Her reason for raising the money is one we all could learn from.
“Because it would help others and it would help the hospital and I love helping people,” she said.
Between these events and a silent campaign held earlier in the year, the organization has raised a total of $9 million, a goal that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the community, regardless of how old or young.