The Foundation Fighting Blindness is looking for a few good riders … motorcycle riders that is. While the annual Ride for Sight is a month and a half away, planning is well underway behind the scenes and help is much needed.
The ride is Canada’s longest-running and best-known motorcycle charity event but has only six ride locations. In Alberta, it’s so popular that they’ve just split the ride into southern and northern start points, the latter of which is set for Onoway. One local organizer is gearing up to get a caravan of riders together to meet at St. Albert Place before joining the main event.
Board member Amber Noden said that she first got involved a long time ago – it’s been going on since 1979, after all – just because they loved to ride and it was the only charity ride around. “We just did it because that’s what you did,” she said. Then she realized that they had a much better reason to help the cause.
“My grandfather was blind and I never really knew why. He went blind from macular degeneration. This is one of the things that they raise funds for: to find a cure for that type of disease,” she continued. “It wasn’t until recently when my mother was also diagnosed with the same kind of disease that I connected the two. There’s a chance that I could end up with it.”
The Ride for Sight is basically a big opportunity for motorcyclists to ride together to raise funds for the foundation, which in turn funds researchers to find cures for retinal eye diseases.
As you can imagine, a caravan of dozens, even hundreds of motorcycles, also goes a long way to drawing attention to the need for help.
“That’s my whole reason for having this in St. Albert: to get more attention.”
Noden is hoping to get 50 or more riders to join her at St. Albert Place on the morning of Saturday, July 9 to all lift their kickstands and head off to Onoway. There, the group will join others for the official ride. The whole weekend itinerary includes camping, games, a show and shine, and live entertainment. Participants only need to fundraise a minimum of $40 to be accepted.
The Ride for Sight is considered a Canadian tradition by many. For nearly four decades, motorcyclists have participated in this rally to support vision science to the tune of raising nearly $20 million for researchers at hospitals and universities from coast-to-coast. It is the single largest private fundraising initiative for vision research in the world.
“Not many people know that Ride for Sight motorcyclists and their family and friends have been the largest community funding Canadian vision research for more than 30 years,” said Sharon Colle, president and CEO of the Foundation Fighting Blindness. “Their commitment to fund research into the causes, the needed treatments and ultimately the cures for blindness is inspiring.”
Noden hopes to sign up some volunteers as soon as possible to assist with pre-event planning. She’s also hoping that people will commit to the event by early registration but those who show up to join in will be welcome. She knows that so many of those riders wait until the last minute to make sure that the sun will be shining. For her, this week’s rain hasn’t dampened her enthusiasm and high expectations for the ride.
“I’m really hoping for sun! I love the rain and I want it now so that it’s done and over with in July.”
People can get in touch with her by searching ‘Ride for Sight Alberta’ on Facebook. More information can be found on the foundation’s website at www.ffb.ca/get-involved/ride-for-sight. You can also call Ride for Sight toll free at 1-800-461-3331
