One Week Until Departure

By Julio Krenz, Ride Captain

Hard to believe that this is the end of summer, and in just 7 short days we will start the 2023 Cops for Kids Ride presented by our dear friends at the Thomas Alan Budd Foundation. We’ve got a dedicated group of riders who have been working tirelessly over the past few months, not only in their regular policing duties but also in training and fundraising for this monumental journey ahead.

The folks that make up this group are a tough bunch; they’ve endured a relentless record breaking wildfire season that’s pulled them into action to make sure that our communities are safe, while finding the time, the energy, and the clean air to train for this arduous journey ahead. Their dedication to raise funds comes from the knowledge that our need for funding from local families far outstrips our supply, and so we’ve got to dig in to help the kids who need us most.

In the days ahead on the ride they’ll be tested mentally, physically, and have their heart strings tugged on when they meet the families who benefit from our efforts.

There are many opportunities to meet up with the team as we make our way across the region, and these meetings are what drive our team to keep pedalling through the heat, rain and smoke. We hope to see many of our supporters in the towns we visit.

Throughout the ride, you’ll be reading blog posts here from riders as they recap each day. You can also follow along on social media to keep up with the team.

Before we get started, we have to thank the contributions of the generous folks who make this possible. The 2023 Cops for Kids Ride is presented by the Thomas Alan Budd Foundation, with special thanks to our friends at Elevated, we are joined by platinum sponsors: Harmony Honda, Prestige Hotels & Resorts, Stutters Restoration,  and Tamarack Centre.

And with that, I’d like to be the first to introduce the 2023 Cops for Kids Ride team. I encourage you to visit their pledge pages to learn more about them, and to help them reach their individual fundraising goals.

Dale AULENBACK

Lisa BARNES

John BAUER

Dan CARSON

Heather CARTER

Rob CROWDER

Ryan DANILOWICH

Andrew DEANE

Robyn DIDDAMS

Tania FINN

Derrick FRANCIS

Spencer FROST

Ron GEORGE

Ken GEORGESON

Marc GRUBER

Gail HARRISON

Kelly HUNTER

Courtney KING

Mike KOSOF

Julio KRENZ

Dean MARCHAND

Steve MERCANDELLI

Heather MONTAGLIANI

Holly MUMFORD

Nick REIMANN

Gary SANDE

Brett SANGUIN

Brett URANO

Liz VANT ERVE

Stefanie WAINMAN

Jared ZEEMAN

We hope to see you out on the road, where those honks & waves are always appreciated, and donations help us reach our goals.

Ride Captain

Retired Staff Sergeant Major Julio Krenz