Members of Catholic Family Services and volunteers for the 2024 Ride for Refuge. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Mental Health Awareness

Ride for Refuge aiming to go bigger in third installment

Aug 15, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Although the Ride for Refuge is still a couple months away, the excitement for the event is continuing to grow.

The 3rd annual fundraising event is shaping up to be the biggest they’ve had so far, where participants have the option to either walk 2.5km or 5km, ride their bikes in a 10km loop or bike the entirety of the Rotary Trail, which is 24.2km around the city.

Event Director Margaret Duncombe explained that the event supports Catholic Family Services (CFS) and all money raised will go back into mental health programs and services in Prince Albert.

“Many people have dealt with trauma in their lives or with issues that are hard to handle on your own. You need someone to talk to [and] our counsellors are trained to give that kind of professional support.”

Participants cross over the start line in last year’s Ride for Refuge. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

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Duncombe added that she’s also a board member with CFS and said Ride for Refuge is their largest fundraiser of the year.

“We struggled as a board, getting a good fundraiser and we had hoped when we did this the first year that it would become a signature event, and it has. We are thrilled and we hope to run this event every year on an ongoing basis because it’s been wonderful for us.”

In their first event back in 2022, they raised just over $37,000 with around 100 participants while last year, the event raised $51,000 with over 110 walkers and bikers. This year, they’re hoping to match 2023’s total and wouldn’t mind seeing the event setting another record.

“We were ecstatic that we made that amount last year and so we would gladly exceed that, but our goal is $51,000.”

In addition, the organization has appointed former Prince Albert mayor and Ward 4 Councillor Don Cody as the Honorary Chairperson for this year’s event, while they also introduced George Marshall as the new CFS Executive Director.

“We were looking for somebody who cares about the community and who’s contributed to the community,” said Duncombe when asked about why they selected Don Cody as the Honorary Chairperson. “We thought he was a wonderful spokesperson. A lot of reasons that people get involved is because they support the programs and the services that we offer and so we just thought Don was the perfect chairperson.”

Don Cody shares a few words after being introduced as the Honorary Chairperson for the 3rd annual Ride for Refuge. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

“He has a strong business background,” she continued, this time talking about Marshall and why he’s a perfect fit with CFS. “He has some analytical skills and he’s done some consulting help with the kids and everything. When he saw this position, he was excited about it because he was ready to reenter the workforce and to be more formally connected with the community. He speaks highly of Prince Albert, and I know that he and his family are very happy to make this their home.”

The 3rd annual Ride for Refuge is set for Saturday, Oct. 5 and will begin at the Alfred Jenkins Fieldhouse.

More information about the event can be found by clicking here.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com