Grassroot Grannies Ride Again on Sept. 6 and 7
Since 2006 a group of Kanata-based Grassroot Grannies and their friends, grand-others, have ridden our bikes to raise awareness and money for the African grandmothers through the Stephen Lewis Foundation. In these annual bike rides, we have raised more than $900,00 thanks to generous donors and sponsors. This year alone we met our goal of $80,000 which is truly amazing. We also had to cycle on the 2 hottest days of the summer this year. At one point on the first day some of our cyclists jumped into a lake to cool off and it did the trick.
This year Ingrid Hamster, an Almonte local, joined our ride as a grand-other and has become a fast friend. Every year the local Almonte Granny group welcomes us and serves us a delicious lunch in their church hall. Thanks to Ingrid we were serenaded through the meal by the String Cats, a local ukulele group. It was such fun to relax, sing along and enjoy their music.
Our time in Almonte was not complete without a visit to Naismith Memorial Public School where we stopped to talk to the students who met us outside with cheers and questions. It was a heartwarming moment, one where we feel we have helped the next generation learn what older citizens can do.
If you saw a group of smiling cyclists wearing yellow jerseys on your local roads those 2 days it was us, the Grassroot Grannies!