One-hundred-and-fifteen cyclists braved the rainy weather on Sept. 19, 2015, and brought in nearly a million dollars to support Syrian refugees now living in Lebanon.
Participating in the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) B.C. Pedaling for Hope Cyclathon, the riders chose one of two routes—20 or 50 kilometres—and asked friends and family to sponsor them. The riders collectively brought in $130,000, with the first $50,000 leveraging another $100,000 through a “challenge match” by a group of MCC friends, bringing the total to $230,000. And because this event supports a food project funded through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, that total is matched a further 4:1 through a Canadian government grant. That multiplying effect brings the total to more than a million dollars.
Organizer Jon Nofziger is amazed at the result. “We knew from the outset that there was a potential for this event to raise significant funds because of the initial 2:1 matching,” he says. “But I am just floored by the efforts of the people who cycled. They did an amazing job of raising funds for refugees.”
In its seventh year, Pedaling for Hope is unique because it draws cyclists of all abilities and ages; the youngest rider was seven and the oldest was 86. Parents rode with children and elite riders challenged one another to finish the ride quickly.
Ten-year-old Elizabeth Wiens has participated in the event three times. This time she cycled the 20-km route with a friend who had never done it before. “Doing the cyclathon with my friend was the best part,” she says. “I had a blast cycling with her.”
The funds raised will be directed to MCC’s partner in Lebanon and will provide food vouchers to 5,800 refugees who have fled there from Syria. The funds will also provide nutritional training to prevent illness and promote growth in children.
John Dawson of Abbotsford, who works for Agora Employment Essentials, also rode in the event. Along with family and friends, Dawson was supported by staff members from Agora offices in Vancouver, Richmond and the Fraser Valley.
He says the cyclathon gave his staff a practical way to make an impact on the Syrian refugee crisis: “Many of them had never given to MCC before, and wanted to be a part of the magic of multiplication. Seeing them all riding with smiles on their faces, because they knew what it would mean to those in need, was amazing. Riding 50 kilometres never felt so good or so effortless.”
Nofziger is particularly excited that this event has introduced a new group of people to MCC and its international work. “With Syria making the daily headlines, this event gave people a tangible way to respond to a crisis that can leave people reading those headlines feeling helpless,” he says.
The Pedaling for Hope Cyclathon is part of the MCC Festival for World Relief, which takes place each September at the Tradex in Abbotsford. The donations are still being tallied, but preliminary numbers show that the festival itself raised more than $685,000 through food and craft sales, auctions and other donation opportunities throughout the two-day event.
See also: “Mennonites eager to help refugees, slowed by red tape”
Add new comment
Canadian Mennonite invites comments and encourages constructive discussion about our content. Actual full names (first and last) are required. Comments are moderated and may be edited. They will not appear online until approved and will be posted during business hours. Some comments may be reproduced in print.