Cycling Cops roll into Vernon Saturday

On Saturday the Cops for Kids will arrive in Vernon as they near the finish line of the 2023 Cops for Kids Ride presented by the Thomas Alan Budd Foundation. The 24 cyclist group consists of law enforcement officials from across South Eastern BC who are all committed to helping kids in their community.

Their arrival into Vernon at the RCMP detachment at 3:00pm will conclude day nine of their ten day journey, bringing them into Vernon from Kamloops that day. The team started in Kelowna on Friday September 8th, making their way through the South Okanagan and over to the Kootenays as far as Cranbrook before returning back through the Shuswap and towards Kelowna. It’s an arduous journey at the best of times, with hill climbs over the Anarchist mountain and Paulson pass across the RCMP’s South East District.

The ride is a culmination of each riders’ year-long efforts volunteering at community events, training on their own time, and fundraising a minimum of $2,500 each so that they can be a part of this riding team. For them, it’s a small sacrifice compared to what families go through in a time of crisis.

The ride will stop in communities across South Eastern BC where the team will be met by the children who benefit from the fundraising efforts year-round. These interactions with families are the reason the riders keep pedalling each day with sore legs and often unfavorable weather conditions. Community fundraising events and gatherings are held to welcome the team, and to help provide the funds needed by families with a child in crisis. Folks are asked to show their support by coming to the detachment on Saturday September 16th at 3pm to greet the team.

Once again, Vernon is represented by Cst. Nick Reimann as one of the cyclists returning again this year. This ride is the greatest way for me to give back to my community, he says. I started for the cycling, and I stay for the impact that we make. The families who rely on Cops for Kids really have nowhere else to turn, and so my efforts can help them when times are tough. It’s the least I can do.

Since 2001, Cops for Kids have raised over $6.1 million in support of local children in medical, physical, or traumatic crisis. To follow the team on their journey, or to make a donation please visit the website at www.copsforkids.org or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information, contact Courtney King, Event Coordinator (250) 801.4438 or email info@copsforkids.org