Hundreds of cyclists, volunteers, and supporters will take to the roads this weekend for the annual MS Bike from Grand Bend to London.
Community Fundraising Lead Sierra Mota said the cycling tour, from Saturday July 25 to Sunday July 26, brings together community members from across the region to ride in support of those living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
"The start and finish line is at Grand Bend Motorplex," said Mota. "It starts at 7:30 a.m. and riders will cycle between 79.2 and 184.2 kilometres over the two days, depending on the routes that they choose."
By the middle of this week, Mota said 460 participants had registered.
"There is absolutely still time to register," she said. "Registration remains open until the weekend. So, everyone is encouraged to sign up, if they're thinking about joining us, as soon as possible."
Mota said they've set an ambitious fundraising target of $885,000 this year.
"We're thrilled to share that so far we've raised just over $599,000, which is an incredible achievement and a testament to the dedication of our riders, volunteers, supporters and sponsors," Mota said.
Proceeds from the ride go directly toward funding critical research, expanding community support programs, and driving advocacy work to improve the quality of life for people living with MS.
Weather forecasts are being actively monitored leading up to the event, and Mota said if the presence of wildfire smoke heightens again, Government of Canada Air Quality Health Index guidelines will be followed to ensure participant safety.
"If air quality conditions require changes to be made to event, we will directly notify participants ahead of time," Mota said.
The Southwestern Ontario ride is one of 11 signature MS Bike events taking place across Canada over a four-month period.
