The Cops for Kids Ride, presented by the Kelowna Foundation for Hope and Social Innovation, will be stopping in Penticton on Sept. 14.

The annual charity cycling event will be travelling south along Highway 97 for 10 days, starting Sept. 14, to raise awareness and funding for children in medical, physical, or traumatic crisis. This year’s ride will include 34 cyclists and a six-person support crew from the RCMP, along with supporting enforcement agencies, making it the largest team in the event’s 17-year history. The team will travel over 1,000 kilometres in just 10 days, stopping in 26 communities along the way.

The Penticton stop, which will take place at Cherry Lane Mall at 4:30 p.m., will include a presentation to four local children this ride will benefit. Refreshments will be provided and the public will have an opportunity to show their support and take a picture with the team before they depart the next day.

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Riders participating in the event are required to supply their own equipment, train during their own time, volunteer at community events, and fundraise a minimum of $2,000 to participate. While this is no easy task, it is worth it for those who make the effort.

“During our daily work we don’t deal with the most positive situations or get the opportunity to show our most favorable side to people we interact with. When we’re on the Cops for Kids Ride, the people that we meet are happy to see us and grateful for the work we’re doing,” said Const. Andrew Deane, one of the local participants. “Seeing the kids who benefit from our efforts is so motivating, and it keeps us pedalling day after day.”

Organizers realize that community support for the event is imperative, so they have added a cap to the number of spots on the team.

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“We rely on the generosity of local hotels, restaurants, service clubs and businesses to host the team in each community, so we realize the pressure a large team puts on them. Their support is appreciated more than ever,” said ride captain and retired Staff Sgt. Major Julio Krenz. “Each community where we stop has really stepped up to able to feed and house this large team during our route, and that’s just fantastic.”

The event has garnered a total of $4.5 million in donations throughout its 17 years. Funds support requests for medical equipment, transportation to the Children’s Hospital, specialized therapy, learning and mobility aids.

For more information about the event or to make a donation, visit www.copsforkids.org.

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