MS Bike is coming back to Waskesiu this September on Saturday, Sept. 19, in support of more than 90,000 Canadians including Saskatchewan residents who are diagnosed and live with Multiple Sclerosis.
“You never know when somebody you know … might be diagnosed with something like this,” said Quyn Larson, MS Canada Community Fundraising Coordinator. “Even if you don’t know somebody living with MS, it’s just such a great opportunity to get out in the community and do something fun for a great cause.”
Around 12 Canadians get diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis everyday, a neurological condition that affects the Central Nervous System with symptoms such as forgetfulness, dizziness, numbness or tingling, lack of coordination, double or impaired vision, and difficulty thinking and understanding information.
MS Canada provides services for Canadians across the country who live with MS, and continue to fundraise for research and programs through the MS Walk program and the MS Bike program. Last year’s MS Bike program in Waskesiu brought in 310 participants in support.
During the summer, MS Bike only has 11 events across the country, with Waskesiu being the final event for bike season this year. The program has been running since 2001 in Waskesiu, and went from a small fundraising gathering from raising around 15,000 dollars to now between 300,000 and 350,000 every year.
“It’s just incredible to see everybody come together,” Larson said. “I think it’s also great for the community of Waskesiu. We try to source as many things as we can locally, the bakery provides us with cinnamon buns and lunch for everybody. We have a caterer out of Emma Lake that helps with the supper, so it really is a community event.”
So far, for this year’s event, MS Bike has 267 registered participants, and Larson says they are hoping they can reach around the same numbers as last year. Larson said that participants in MS Bike range from ‘hard-core cyclists’ to those who don’t consider themselves cyclists at all. Some participants are here with teams formed of their coworkers, along with retired active community members and families.
“It’s really for everybody and anyone, most of our participants participate because they know somebody living with MS,” said Larson.
Larson said that around 60 percent of participants come from the Saskatoon area, with the rest coming from Regina and the Prince Albert Area.
When asked about why MS Canada chooses to return to Waskesiu for their Saskatchewan event every year, she said mostly because of the beauty to be held in the landscape of Waskesiu at the start of fall, but it has also become tradition after 26 years.
“It’s just such a beautiful location, especially in the fall,” Larson said. “It is so gorgeous, and the weather is so beautiful there around that time in September with all the trees changing colours. I think it’s very scenic, and some of our rest stops are actually on beaches, so I think that makes it really unique.”
For the event, participants usually arrive and check in on Friday night, at the Waskesiu Community Hall where they receive their package for the event, and they can submit their cash or cheque donations. The next morning on Saturday, September 19, everyone will meet back at the Community Hall for breakfast, and the ride starts at around 10a.m.
Four rest stops are available for riders throughout the 50 kilometre course, but a 75 kilometre course is also available as a challenge option.
Lunch is provided throughout the day and riders usually complete the course from 2p.m. to 4p.m.
At 4:30p.m. there is a casual-style banquet supper outside for participants to relax after the ride, with an impact speaker who talks about their lived experience with MS.
More information can be found at msspbike.donordrive.com/events/1355 or on the MS Bike Facebook Page.
