I first participated in Ride for Heart in 2014 and my fiancée, who has been a participant in cycling since 2004 for nearly every year.
When the opportunity came to staff Ride for Heart for June 5th, 2016 with RnR, it was almost too good to be true. This event is dear to my heart.
Working behind the scenes has been amazing. So much work goes in to make the event happen and a ton of people were involved. Our team really made a difference in the event and I could see it in the rider’s faces. I got a whole new understanding of the event staff and volunteers and how dedicated they are to the cause. It was a great experience.
For this event RnR Staffing managed the bag check for the riders, and we also provided staff for the bike valet stations so that cyclist can park their bikes in a safe place while they attending the VIP Breakfast and Lunch events.
Just being able to run the bag check and bike valet stations smoothly was the highlight. Given that this was the first year for bag check it was a pretty big deal. We were told that this year was the most efficient with bike valet, a huge compliment to the staff.
This years event also had a record number of funds raised. 7 million dollars and a record number of participants. Nearly 19000 riders plus walkers/runners. They added a 5 & 10 Km run as well as a 5 km walk.
This is an event that I highly recommend that people participate in. It is very well organized and supports a fantastic cause which is the Heart & Stroke Foundation. The experience of riding your bike on the Gardiner is unreal!
It’s also family friendly. People of all ages and fitness levels can participate and you can ride 25, 50 or 75 km in addition to the walk or run.
I look forward to being involved next year in 2017!
— Renee
