Despite a dismal weather outlook, the third annual Ride4Paws fundraiser for Niagara Dog Rescue is being considered “an amazing success.”
Organizer Cheryl Beland was hoping to top last year’s 110 participants, which had more than doubled from its inaugural event, but the early morning weather was discouraging, and likely was keeping riders away, she said. “We raised just over $10,000 last year,” she said early Saturday, as a trickle of bikers began arriving, “and I’d love to top that.”
The total at the end of the day was just 48 participants, less than half than last year, “but net proceeds including sponsors, donations and the funds raised at the event itself, were $10,660, which is remarkable given the weather. That is just over last year’s total,” said Beland.
Grade 3 at Crossroads School student Ishani Pal helped with that, handing over a cheque for $2,050 to Niagara Dog Rescue. The eight-year-old sold more than 30 litres of lemonade and almost 60 bags of popcorn from her Karsam Court lemonade stand recently as friends, neighbours and community members stopped by to support her and the dog rescue organization.
Saturday's event included a poker run along a route of about 130 kilometres, leaving from the Husky Travel Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ending in Niagara Falls, with stops along the way that included snacks and a barbecue to finish at Willoughby Fire Hall.
“My heart is full knowing that 100 per cent of these funds raised goes directly towards helping our dogs,” said Beland.
