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DOUBLE THE FUN BICYCLE BUILT FOR TWO: Mount Hope ...

Lynden Lions pedal for a good cause
By Dianne Cornish
Sports
May 09, 2008
On a recent Friday morning, a small group of cycles sat empty outside Lynden Lions Hall while their owners enjoyed a quick breakfast, courtesy of Lynden Lions, before embarking on an 85-kilometre ride to Toronto in support of Campaign SightFirst II. The handful of riders, all Lions, came from clubs in Toronto, Weston, Agincourt, Oakville and nearby Mount Hope. Their goal was to raise funds for the SightFirst program, a Lions-supported initiative that has prevented severe vision loss or restored sight to 27 million people worldwide since 1990.

"The ride had a lot to do with fun and fellowship but SightFirst is an amazing good cause," said Mount Hope Lion Mark Gunby, Past Regional Chair and incoming Vice District Governor for District A-7/11. He and his wife, Suzanne, were among the cyclists who traveled from Lynden to the Lions District Convention that ran April 25 until April 27 at the Holiday Inn Select near Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

The route ran through the picturesque Flamborough and Halton countryside before hitting the more populated areas of Oakville and Mississauga. The number of cyclists grew as other Lions joined in at various points along the way. Those cycling from Lynden took about five hours to complete the trip.

During a brief stop in Oakville, the Flamborough Leos, a newly-formed group of youths aged 14 to 17, cheered the cyclists and provided them with snacks.

Doing what they can to prevent blindness around the world also spurred a small group of cyclists to have their heads shaved after reaching their destination. The SightFirst program got a boost of about $10,000, representing the combined proceeds of the Cycle for Sight and the head-shaving event.

Last year, over the course of two days, cyclists completed a 180-kilometre route from Oakville to London, netting $13,500 for the program.

On hand at this year's starting point to encourage the riders were Lynden Lions Club president Rob Clark and four or five members of the club, Freelton Lions member and Zone Chair (now Region Chair) Bob Lanktree and a consultant with SightFirst II, Nate Miles of Chicago, who rode part of the route on a tandem bicycle with Suzanne Gunby. Even some local children got into the act, joining the riders as they made their way up Lynden Road to Hwy. 5.

Like many of its counterparts around the world, the Lynden club has stepped forward to support the campaign, donating $2,000 to SightFirst. The club plans more donations in the near future.

After just three years of fundraising, Lions clubs worldwide have raised $157 million US for the campaign. Their goal is to raise $200 million.