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Richmondites invited for a bike ride to raise money for scholarships

The Richmond School District Scholarship Bike Ride will be held on Saturday, May 27
Vikki Hui
Vikki Hui
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The 11th annual Richmond School District Scholarship Bike Ride will take place on May 27. (Photo submitted)

A group of educators is inviting the community to ride with them to raise money for scholarships to benefit Richmond grads.

Cyclists will gather at Burnett secondary on Saturday, May 27 before heading off for a long, leisurely loop around west Richmond. At the end of the event, participants will get to enjoy a free barbecue lunch courtesy of M&M Food Market, which has been a tradition since the ride started 11 years ago.

Since its inception in 2013, the annual Richmond School District Scholarship Bike Ride has raised and given out more than $40,000 in scholarships.

Jim Allison, a retired Richmond principal, said the event started as a way to remember two Richmond educators – Lorne Bodin, a former McNair secondary principal, and Targett Ng, former vice-principal of McKay elementary.

“Both Bodin and Ng were always encouraging others to cycle,” he said.

Bodin regularly participated in the annual Ride to Conquer Cancer (now known as the Tour De Cure) before succumbing to stomach cancer himself, while Ng was a “diehard mountain bike rider” who was tragically killed when riding his bike to work.

The key phrase for the event is “leisurely,” said Allison, who emphasized that it’s not a race and any type of bike, be it a road bike or electric bike, is welcome.

“We don’t want anyone to feel intimidated, we want everyone to feel included. And it’s accessible,” he said.

All that matters is to bring people together and build a sense of community.

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop the educators either, as they continued to ride together virtually for two years before introducing the hybrid bike ride last year.

“We’re hoping that this year, more and more people are comfortable with gathering again, especially because it’s an event that’s almost exclusively outside,” said Allison, adding that, while the hybrid option is here to stay, meeting in person is encouraged.

“It’s only a couple hours on a Saturday morning, and hopefully people can have a good time connecting with one another – which is also an important piece of mental health and wellbeing – and celebrate being together and raising some funds for scholarships.”

As the event approaches its 11th year, Allison is hoping to open it up to the wider Richmond community.

“If you live in Richmond and your kids go to school in Richmond, or maybe you’re from Richmond… It’s open to anyone that’s interested.”

The event will kick off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 27 at Burnett Secondary. All participants must be 18 years old or above. To register for the event or to donate, click here.