October 4th, 2014, The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) participated in the Canada and USA wide Ride for Refuge for the first time. The objective is to raise funds for diverse charitable organizations. In conjunction with the ‘Fred Says.ca’ Global Food Security initiative that PWRDF is engaged with from 2013-16, PWRDF is directing funds raised from the Ride for Refuge to provide food for 12,000 displaced peoples living in South Sudan as part of the current $400,000 Food Project in South Sudan.
PWRDF is doing this work in partnership with Finn Church Aid (FCN) and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB). Given its association with the CFGB, most of the funds raised by the Ride for Refuge are being matched four fold by the federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development.
In total, 976 teams with over 6200 riders in Canada and the USA participated in the event. Ten teams from across Canada rode for PWRDF raising over $18,000 which will be matched by the federal government. The Vancouver ride was held in Richmond with distances of 10, 25, 50, and 100 kilometres. Team PWRDF Vancouver with eight enthusiastic riders and captained by Peter Goodwin, Diocesan Representative for PWRDF, raised $2700 surpassing their goal of $2000. The diocesan team collected the third most funds for PWRDF. Three of the riders were PWRDF parish representatives: Betty Boland from St.Faith, Vancouver; Liz MacDonald from All Saints Ladner; and Peter Goodwin also acting as parish representative from St. James', Vancouver. Other riders included Laurel Fahrni, Alexis Cooper, Mark Gordon, James McMahon, and Aoife Yelland. Doug Symons, PWRDF parish representative at St. John, Shaughnessy, showed great team spirit by lending Peter a bicycle thereby facilitating his participation.
The PWRDF Diocesan Unit which organized the ride in our diocese wishes to thank all the riders who participated and the donors who sponsored them and the team. Hopefully this will become an annual event with ever more riders and supporters becoming involved.
Image - Left to Right: Mark Gordon, James McMahon, Peter Goodwin, Betty Boland, Laurel Fahrni, Liz MacDonald, and Aoife Yelland.