Sooke is a community full of cycling enthusiasts. It is also a town full of volunteers who serve the community in myriad ways.
On June 9, the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike will be in Sooke and teams can register to take a ride.
“It has never come to Sooke – ever,” said Jodi Gaiser, community coordinator for the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
She said the ride is recognized as a big community drive and a community building event. Multiple teams of up to 29 individuals get on the bike and ride it to raise money for life-saving research.
Gaiser said teams can partner up with other teams to fill up all of the seats on the bike. There are 29 seats plus one for the driver.
“Any type of office, even if there is only four people, can sign up. We would love to have you come out,” said Gaiser. “This year we are celebrating the big bike coming to Sooke.”
Times for teams to take the big ride will be scheduled. Each team rides for one hour and included in that is registration, warm-up, the ride and then a celebration on completion. The route is Sooke’s parade route which goes from the vicinity of Evergreen Mall to the Legion.
“The ride is 20 minutes and anyone can do it,” Gaiser said.
Each team is expected to raise $50 per participant as a fundraising goal. If $100 is raised by an individual, they receive a T-shirt and prizes are given for amounts above that. There is no registration fee.
“We would love to break a couple of thousand dollars,” said Gaiser.
Vancouver Island is renown for its medical resources, and the Royal Jubilee is one of the top hospitals in the country with top researchers and medical professionals.
For more information or to sign up a team go to: bikebike.ca or contact Jodi Gaiser at: jgaiser@hsf.bc.ca or call 250-410-8094.