For the past 12 years Don Lefebvre has organized a fundraising bike rally in honor of the memory of his father who lost his battle to cancer.
What started out as a memorial ride has blossomed into a huge rally that benefits the health of the community and Lefebvre is dumbfounded at the success of the event.
“This started in memory of my father, my father was an avid rider, and after he had passed away, the same year actually as he had passed away. We decided to do a ride in memory of him with a few riders, I think there with eight or 10, there wasn't very many of us.”
“I never thought we would get this big. I keep it a one-day event, a lot of people want to turn it into an all weekend event. I have enough I'm going to keep it at a one-day event, but he is your question, honestly, I never thought it would get this big, no. My dad is probably doing cartwheels.”
The riders come from all over including Christian biker Dennis Stockinger from Flint Michigan.
“I have a friend that has a church here in North Bay that he just started, and since this is the anniversary date right on the same day of the ride, we came up.”
“It's great to come up here and help out and raise money for cancer, and things like that, and at the same time get around and meet other people, and also talk about the lord Jesus and let everybody know that ‘hey, bikers are good people’. We just enjoy having fun too,” states Stockinger.
Lefebvre says the event happens with no fundraising goal in mind, but says the money is designated to the charities he feels require help.
“I'm working with the North Bay General Hospital Foundation, and also this year, we got on board to help out all little seven-month-old baby that needed an operation desperately, and so the Papa Joe Ride is helping out, that infant also.”
“The new hospital, the cancer waiting room is going to be in memory of my father, so there will be a plaque and whatnot and that is what I was kind of looking forward to,” states Lefebvre.
The run goes takes off from Zorba’s on Lakeshore with riders heading to Mattawa, once in the town riders take a break to stretch their legs, have a refreshment, and then head back for a celebratory dinner and concert.
