The local legion was filled with laughter and comraderie on Jun. 30 as the Ride for Vision and Valour stopped in Slave Lake. The ride is an interprovincial motorcycle fundraiser which stopped at the local Legion for a chance to share the purpose behind the ride.
The 13-day ride begins in Victoria, B.C., and raises money for the Military Police Fund for Blind Children, a charity that supports visually impaired children across Canada. The ride was led by ride captain Lemont French.

All Canadian children from birth to age 21 are eligible for support through the fund. The organization provides support for anything that could improve the life of a visually impaired child, giving the fundraiser a broad purpose beyond a single type of assistance. The stop in Slave Lake was part of the ride’s larger effort to raise both money and awareness for the charity.

Jean Guy Mayer, ride ring master, says the support of Legions is essential to making the ride possible. “We honestly couldn’t do this without the support of the Legions,” Mayer says. The June 30 stop at the Slave Lake Legion reflected that support, giving riders a place to gather, eat and connect with the local community as the fundraiser continued along its route.

The ride drew support in Slave Lake from the local fire department, law enforcement and cadets, who were present for the stop. Mayer says he was grateful to see cadets there, and the presence of youth at the event emphasized the ride’s focus on helping children. The fundraiser is built around support for children who are visually impaired, and Mayer stressed that the charity is there to help children who need it.

The Ride for Vision and Valour is open in terms of who can participate, but this year most of the riders were veterans. The group also included retired RCMP members and lawyers among the participants. That mix of riders brought together people with different backgrounds while keeping the focus on a shared goal: raising money for children and spreading the word about the Military Police Fund for Blind Children.

The riders also had help from a support vehicle travelling behind them. The vehicle provided snacks and added a safety element during the ride, helping the group manage the long interprovincial trip. With the event lasting 13 days and beginning in Victoria, B.C., that support helped keep the ride organized as participants moved between communities and stops.

The event is an offshoot of the Military Police Motorcycle Relay. The military’s involvement helps keep administrative costs very low, which allows funds raised through the ride and the charity to go directly to children. That structure is an important part of the fundraiser, because it means donations can be directed toward supports that may improve the lives of visually impaired children across the country.

Mayer says part of the purpose of the ride is to make sure people know the charity exists and know they can apply for support.
He says the ride is not only about fundraising, but also about spreading awareness. For families of visually impaired children, that awareness can matter because the fund is intended to provide help when something could improve a child’s life.

“Don’t be shy about sharing,” Mayer says, emphasizing that the charity is available to help.

His message during the stop in Slave Lake was that people should talk about the fund, spread the word and make sure families who may be eligible know support exists.

With Canadian children from birth to age 21 eligible for assistance, the charity’s reach extends across the country.

The Slave Lake stop also showed the community side of the ride.

The Legion provided a place for the riders to pause for a meal, while the presence of the fire department, law enforcement and cadets connected the event with local service groups and youth.

For a ride connected to military police and children’s support, those local connections reinforced the message that the fundraiser depends on people showing up in each community. The Ride for Vision and Valour’s stop in Slave Lake was one part of a longer journey, but it carried the same message as the wider ride. The fundraiser is designed to raise money for visually impaired children. Administrative costs are kept low through military involvement.

With veterans, retired RCMP members, lawyers, cadets, local emergency services and Legion members all connected to the stop, the event brought together several parts of the community around the needs of children.

As the 13-day ride continued beyond Slave Lake, Mayer’s message remained focused on visibility for the charity and support for the children it serves.

The ride raises funds, but it also gives riders an opportunity to explain what the Military Police Fund for Blind Children can do. By stopping in communities such as Slave Lake, the fundraiser helps carry that information beyond the riders themselves and into the places where families, service groups and local supporters can hear it.

For Mayer, the focus was clear: the charity is there to help children who need support, and people should not hesitate to share that information.

Sara Driedger
Lakeside Leader