Cheers could be heard up and down Beacon Avenue Monday, June 25 as the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike hit the streets.
The Big Bike for Heart and Stroke is the foundation’s largest community fundraising program. Last year the event raised $14,630 in Sidney and this year’s groups topped that.
“We raised $19,679, which is just awesome,” said the foundation’s community development co-ordinator Jeremy Loveday.
The team from Holmes Realty took the prize for raising the most money for the cause, with a total of $5,411. Second place went to the Sidney Lions team, the Lions Pride, who raised $5,220.
“We almost didn’t come back to Sidney after the first couple of years of running the Big Bike here because we just weren’t making enough,” said Loveday. “But the numbers have just increased and increased each year.”
The funds raised from the Big Bike ride go towards conducting research through the University of Victoria’s stroke recovery research department as well as to help raise awareness through school programs.