Cyclists unite and hit the road to raise money for local seniors

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On a sunny Saturday, cyclists of all ages came together in Caledon East for a ride that raised money for programs that support Caledon seniors. 

On June 15, Caledon Community Services' (CCS) annual Velocity Ride for Caledon Seniors was held.

Individuals and teams collected pledges leading up to the ride, and rode 10, 25, 50 or 100-kilometre routes on the day of the ride. As of June 15, cyclists and sponsors had raised nearly $70,000 for CCS. 

CCS Chief Development Officer Mariia Kupriianova said this year's ride was a fantastic community effort, and shared that over 170 riders participated. 

“We're pedaling hard to go the extra mile for Caledon seniors. Funds we raise go to critical health and wellness services and affordable transportation,” she said. “We're so grateful to our community for making amazing things happen.”

Velocity welcomes riders of all ages: this year's youngest rider was five, and the oldest rider was 91. 

Ted Webb, 91, and his team, the Terra Cotta Trailblazers, have been the leading fundraisers at Velocity for years. 

“I would like to say something about cycling: it's a wonderful sport,” said Webb, adding that he's made so many amazing friends through the sport. “If you want to reach 90 years old, keep on cycling!”

Webb shared these remarks during speeches that took place after the ride, and they were met with a huge cheer from the crowd. 

Participants in this year's Velocity ride enjoyed lunch, snacks and drinks, games, live music, and a raffle in addition to their ride.