By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The 2024 Cops for Kids Ride saw 19 law enforcement officers from South Eastern BC roll through Oliver and Osoyoos over the weekend with a stop at the Oliver Fire Hall on Friday, September 6 before heading for an overnight stop in Osoyoos.
The team of dedicated cyclists began their ten-day adventure to support children in medical need with their route taking them through the South Okanagan and Kootenays, reaching as far east as Invermere in the Columbia Valley before returning through Kamloops and Vernon, and ultimately finishing back in Kelowna on Sunday, September 15.
The cyclists are pedaling with purpose, aiming to raise both funds and awareness for children facing illness, disability, or traumatic crises in this region. The cyclists are made up of RCMP and partnering agencies including Corrections, Sheriff Services and firefighters.
The Cops for Kids cyclists along with members of the Lions Club of Oliver, Oliver Ambassadors and Ashley Bodnar and her two children (centre).
The group will visit 26 communities across South Eastern BC, where they will meet the very children who benefit from the generosity and support of the community year-round.
Each rider has devoted an entire year to preparing for this ride, including volunteering at community events, rigorous training, and fundraising at least $2,500 to be part of this extraordinary team.
“Their effort represents a small sacrifice compared to the challenges faced by families during times of crisis,” says Cops for Kids.
While in Oliver Rob Crowder, Inspector with BC Sheriff Services based out of Nelson said there are 19 riders this year, “a little bit less than last year, we’d prefer a bigger turnout of riders but it’s a pretty big commitment with the training and the time away from family,” he noted.
All told the riders will cycle 1,000 km over the course of the ten days and with the unseasonably hot weather on Friday the ride got off to a hot start compounded by repaving works between Penticton and Oliver.
RCMP and partnering agencies which include Corrections officers, Sheriffs and Firefighters.
“These dedicated individuals are not only serving as police officers but are also giving back to their communities in a profound way,” says Cops for Kids President, retired Superintendent Brent Mundle.
“The smiles from the children and the warm waves from passing motorists remind us that we are making a significant impact and doing meaningful work.”
Katie Di Iuorio, President of the Oliver Lions Club presents a cheque for $1,000 to Cops for Kids.
Also attending the Oliver stop over was Ashley Bodnar who along with her husband and two children know all too well the trials, tribulations and outright hardship associated with out of town medical care for children.
Bodnar’s now three-year old daughter stopped breathing on day four of her young life after returning home from the hospital.
“And so that started our very long journey in the medical system,” which included four hospitals, seven ambulance rides, three medevac flights and a total of two months in hospital and countless tests which yielded no definitive diagnosis.
That experience made her aware of the importance of non-profits like Cops for Kids and spurred her to found the non-profit Delivering Sunshine whose primary objective is providing care packages to patients and/or caregivers of patients that are unable to be in the comfort of their own home.
Whether it be a holiday package to make a holiday feel less lonely, or an admit kit providing basic needs for the unexpected admission, each care package has been carefully developed based on research, age specific needs and hospital / care facility appropriate items.
Lori Martine, Oliver Ambassador Program coordinator (centre) with some of the Oliver Ambassador candidates (maroon shirts).
“I’m really proud to say that last year we delivered 1,000 care packages to hospital patients,” and this included partnering with Cops for Kids which saw uniformed officers deliver care packages to the kids in the hospital.
“That’s something I’ll never forget because it actually was able to tie two really powerful non-profits that do totally different things together and really bring value to people that are in the hospital, that are struggling,” she said.
“From the bottom of my heart and my family’s heart, and anyone that’s been along our journey – because it has been a hell of a journey – thank you for everything you do. We couldn’t do it without people like you standing up here and putting your heart and soul into it.”
She added that one would expect there’d be substantial services available to families, “but there truly isn’t, and we do need the support as families of fragile kids, and I don’t know what we do without it.”
Since its inception in 2001, the Cops for Kids Ride has raised over $6.5 million to support local children in medical, physical, or traumatic crises. To follow the team’s journey and make a donation to support this cause, visit copsforkids.org or connect on Facebook and Instagram.
