The countdown to the Tour de Cariboo has begun, with relay teams and individuals preparing to hit the starting line this Saturday, Sept. 12.
Loretta Weingart and Christine Habsburg are preparing to enter the Tour de Cariboo ride for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) as a relay team.
“Christine encouraged me to ride in a Canadian Mental Health team last year for exercise,” Weingart said. “We had done the Ride Don’t Hide event at CMHA to raise awareness about mental health, and decided to expand and ride the Tour.”
She said last year was her first time doing the Tour and she rode it as relay team of five people; this year they’re down to two riders but are still determined to ride. “Chris and I kick box together, and she encouraged me to be more active in the community; I’ve got to say it was she who talked me into this,” she said.
The Tour de Cariboo on Sept. 12 is a 75-kilometre ride from Williams Lake to Gavin Lake featuring spectacular scenery and varied terrain.
You can enter solo or as a relay team, and are only asked to raise $100 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. There are comfort stations along the way, and at the end finish line there is a grand welcome, dinner, live music, a sauna, prizes, a campfire, free camping and more.
This ride is the main annual fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Williams Lake, helping support a wide range of mentoring opportunities to meet the varied needs of volunteers, children and families. Serving as role models, BBBS mentors teach by example the importance of giving and giving back, of staying in school, and for having respect for family, peers and community
Gavin Lake has full facilities, cabins, and offers great recreational opportunities for canoeing, fishing and hiking. Guests and family members are welcome to attend the dinner and entertainment. Dinner tickets for guests will be sold in advance at the Big Brothers and Sisters office for $15 per adult and children under 10 are free.
Loretta said she thoroughly enjoyed the Tour last year.
“When you ride through the ribbon at the end of the race, they really make you feel that it was a true accomplishment. I loved the dinner, the prizes, the music, campfire and the sauna — all of it. I would certainly recommend it to new riders: what a great experience.
“It’s great doing something like this with a bunch of other people – it’s not only raising awareness and money. It’s a wonderful community event,” she said.
“We’d love to get some more riders on our team — then we can do the entire ride. Contact me on Facebook and join us.”
For more information about Tour de Cariboo phone 250-398-8391, contact them on Facebook or visit www.bbswlake.com.