JASPER – The Military Police National Motorcycle Relay concluded its ride at the Jasper Royal Canadian Legion on Wednesday (July 9) after travelling across British Columbia.
The relay raises money in support of blind children. While there was no official fundraising total, this event raised around $14,000.
“There are so many worthwhile charities out there, and there’s so many people in need, and it’s really nice when someone who has a little bit extra can look at other people [and help out],” said Ray Lyver, chair for the Military Police National Motorcycle Relay.
Col. James Riley Stone was the founder of the Military Police Fund for Blind Children (MPFBC) in 1957 after his daughter, Moira, was afflicted with cancer of the eye, resulting in sudden blindness and subsequently death.
The MPFBC remains unique as the only military charity in Canada and is entirely managed by volunteers. The motorcycle relay itself has been running for the last 17 years. It used to organize rides across Canada but now focuses on shorter regional rides.
Motorcyclists started in Victoria, B.C., riding around Vancouver Island, and eventually worked their way to Kamloops, Salmon Arm and Golden before coming to Jasper. The ride had up to 24 motorcyclists at one point.
“When you ride for yourself and you ride for enjoyment, it’s much more enjoyable than riding for a schedule,” Lyver said. “It takes a little bit of the fun away, but you balance that off with what a blind child or a child with vision difficulties has. It’s like you got no problems, right? And we all signed up for it, so suck it up, buttercup, and just do it.”
He noted it had been a few years since the relay stopped in Jasper, since they want to have variant routes to improve ridership, and they wanted to avoid stepping on the toes of the Rolling Barrage, which raises awareness about PTSD to end the stigma surrounding it.
The Military Police National Motorcycle Relay raises money through donations from individuals and businesses as well as through participating Legions.
“The riders also donate money as part of the giving,” Lyver said. “The riders donate their time, their gas, their lodgings, their everything to go on the ride, and in return, the Legion supports us by giving us a supper or a meal and a donation.”
Last year’s ride in British Columbia raised $40,000, and the MPFBC in turn distributed $60,000. Including its other ride in Alberta, organizers expect to raise $35,000 total this year for both British Columbia and Alberta. In British Columbia alone, over 800 children are registered for assistance.
Lyver noted how the relay also raises awareness about the fund itself, and they were looking for people who have visually challenged children. He described how they came across an 18-month-old boy with no lenses.
“He’s wearing the thick coke bottle glasses, because he’s two now, they want to replace the glasses with contact lenses, but they got to do it every six or eight months, and that’s where the money comes in,” Lyver said.
“You can imagine if you had to choose between letting them see or not letting them see, because you don’t have money, it’s a pretty hard decision,” he added.
Those interested in donating or wanting to learn more about the charity can visit the relay’s website.
