On Friday, Sept. 6, three Campbell River women, all over 55-years-old, will ride bicycles for three days down the 275 kilometer route to Victoria.
They will be part of this year’s team of 31 women from other Island communities in this twelfth annual cycling tour to raise awareness and funds for grandmothers in Africa.
Campbell River’s riders this year are veteran participants Karen King, riding for the fifth time, and Mary Lou Mahoney riding for her third time. This year they are joined by first-time tour participant Erika Kellerhals from Quadra Island. Kellerhals has been inspired by her own mother’s involvement with fundraising with the Campbell River Grandmothers to Grandmothers (G2G) group, now in its 12th year.
Funds raised by G2G support the Grandmothers Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which helps African grandmothers provide shelter, food, and education for children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic which has left millions of African children without parents.
The grandmothers have developed community-based services to grow food, create income, provide health education and support, and to lobby their governments for legal rights and services.
Donations to support the efforts of these riders and the Grandmothers Campaign can be made at http:/slf.akaraisin.com/grandmotherspledges2019/cycletour275
Local support has helped CRG2G contribute $120,000 to the SLF.