Fundraiser to benefit Victoria's Sanctuary Youth Centre
Vulnerable youth in the Capital Region will benefit from an upcoming fundraiser, part of a national event to raise money for a variety of charities across the county.
The "Ride for Refuge" is a family-friendly cycling and walking fundraiser in support of the Sanctuary Youth Centre in downtown Victoria, which helps vulnerable youth aged 14 to 22.
This will be the Sanctuary Youth Centre’s ninth year taking part in the Ride for Refuge. The centre's fundraising goal is $35,000.
Participants can choose between a 2.5-kilmoetre and a 5-kilometre walk, or between a 10-kilometre and a 20-kilometre bike ride.
Funds raised locally will go directly to Sanctuary’s drop-in and mental health programs, with an emphasis on wellness and healthy living.
The centre provides a safe and supportive environment for at-risk youth, giving them access to basic resources such as showers, laundry, hot meals, and sense of community.
“These youth that we serve are experiencing a greater degree of vulnerability,” says Darin Reimer, executive director of the Cornerstone Youth Society and Sanctuary Youth Centre.
He says many of them are on the verge of being homeless or are homeless because they feel safer on the streets than in the home they’ve come from.
The centre opens five days a week and has received more than 40,000 visits since its doors opened in 2004.
“Our vision is all youth are living a healthy and fulfilling lives,” says Reimer.
The executive director is encouraging Victoria area residents to participate in this year's event.
The Ride for Refuge is described as a day when Canadians declare their solidarity with millions of people in Canada and around the world who are seeking refuge from danger, hardship and abuse.
Thousands of participants will be taking part in the ride in 39 locations across Canada, including Victoria.
Each host location will be supporting a specific charity, with Sanctuary the beneficiary of Victoria's ride.
Registration for the event is available online. The ride gets underway at 3 p.m. on Oct. 1 at the Gateway Baptist Church, located at 898 Royal Oak Ave. in Saanich.
For those who would like to help out, volunteers are still needed. More information can be found on the Ride for Refuge website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.