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The Paris Independent 14

June 11, 2022 C O M M U N I T Y N E W S

Charity bike ride starts at Parliament Hill and ends at the Forks of the Grand in Paris

By Carolina Saenz

Combining his passion for long bike rides with making a positive impact in the community, Dale Hall is set to make this summer count. As a member of the Bellwether Family Wealth team in Brantford, Hall has seen first-hand the important work done by the Salvation Army. And as long-time supporters of this organization, the Bellwether team has come up with a new way to make a difference. The Bellwether Bike Ride will see Hall ride from Parliament in Ottawa to Forks of the Grand in Paris. It will be a 580km ride over a period of three days from August 12th to 14th with the hopes to raise $10,000 for the Salvation Army food bank. “I wanted to do a long ride and raise money doing it,” says Hall. In 2020, the first version of this event consisted of a 250km loop ride completed by Hall in a day. And a total of $3,400 was raised and donated to the Salvation Army Children and Family Services Food Bank. This year he’s challenging himself even more. “The idea was it needed to be a significant distance. It needed to be a road that was bike friendly and there is the waterfront trail along Lake Ontario. And I’ve done portions of that before so I knew it would be a safe ride,” shares Hall. A lot of careful planning and valuable experience are needed for this endurance event. While he is being diligent in his training and making sure his body is healthy for the ride, he acknowledges this is only possible with the support of the Bellwether team who make sure he is set up for success. Beyond Bellwether, his wife Taylor Hall will be his primary support system throughout the ride. Having experienced long rides together, they know what works and what to expect. The first day of the ride, August 12th, will see Hall ride 180km from Parliament to Kingston. Day two will be the longest ride at 224km from Kingston to Bowmanville. And day three will consist of 176km and end in Paris.

Dale Hall, middle, is no stranger to distance races. He just completed the 100km Paris to Ancaster Bike Race last month.

Photo provided by Dale Hall

Expecting to be on the bike for seven to eleven hours a day, Hall is planning a careful break schedule as well as the fuel he will need: sourdough loaves from Little Paris Bread Co and lots of espresso.

The Paris Independent 15

June 11, 2022 C O M M U N I T Y N E W S

But despite careful planning, Hall is aware of the possibility of additional challenges. “I think the biggest challenge will be weather because that is the one thing that’s completely out of our control. We can control food intake, fitness, the mechanics of the bike. But if you’re riding East to West along the lake you’re often against the wind, so you have a lot of wind head on or at a bit of an angle. That is going to be a little nerve wracking because I don’t have anybody to help shield me from the wind. And then of course extreme heat or extreme rain would be a challenge. But it really is a psychological shift that I would have to make in a moment like that,” Hall explains.

At the end of the day, he said he knows what will push him through the most difficult moments of his journey. “The biggest motivation for me is that I firmly believe everybody should have access to good and healthy food. And there is a big divide, food scarcity is real,” says Hall.

The services offered by the Salvation Army are utilized year-round by families and individuals. While they see a lot of donations through the fall and winter, especially during the holidays with their kettle fundraisers, support is needed during the summer months too. And that is where this event hopes to make a difference. All proceeds from the bike ride will go to the Salvation Army food banks that serve Brantford and Brant County. They work together, so donations serve the whole community. Donations to Hall’s Bellwether Bike Ride can be made at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/ pages/the-bellwether-bike-ridefor-the-salvation-army-co/

Any riders interested in joining next year’s event can reach out via their Facebook page and book it in your calendar https://www.facebook.com/Bell wether-Bike-Ride106277565320422