Cyclists raise $60K for charity
Indoor cycling club Ryde has raised over $65,000 for local charities Hart 4 Hearts and Special Needs Foundation Cayman.
Over 24 hours, each member of 25 teams comprising 200 cyclists took turns riding to complete the quest at the club this past Saturday.
The studio was a hive of activity for the duration of the event. The spin bikes were brought outside for the final two hours of the challenge which took place to a live DJ.
The event was inspired by, and in memory of Leo Lewis, who passed away when he was a week old after being diagnosed with a rare genetic metabolic disorder called nonketotic hyperglycinemia.
“The ride was phenomenal and a success,” said David Walker, who owns RYDE along with wife Kelly.
“Ryde is committed to supporting the Cayman community and often hosts charity classes for a variety of different causes that are important to our regulars. The Ryde-A-Thon felt like a natural extension of that commitment,” Kelly said.
Leo’s parents, Maya and Richard Lewis, were also heavily involved in the planning of the event.
“After losing Leo we knew that nothing could bring him back, but what we could do was leave a positive mark on the world in his memory by helping others. The two charities chosen for this fundraiser felt like the perfect fit,” the couple said.
Ryde-A-Thon kicked off at 6pm on Friday, 22 Nov., following an informal kick-off party, and continued through the night and the early hours of the morning into Saturday afternoon.
Ryde instructor Michelle Fisher, who took inspiration from a 24-hour running event she used to participate in with her father when she was a young girl, was the brainchild behind the fundraiser.
An avid athlete herself, Fisher said having seen the success of the event her dad participated in and was so passionate about, she had been looking for a few years to bring the 24-hour sporting challenge to the Cayman Islands.
“I was just waiting for the right time,” she said. This year she found the reason she was looking for when friends of hers lost their son at just a week old and wanted to do something meaningful in his memory.
The studio was a hive of activity for the duration of the event. The spin bikes were brought outside for the final two hours of the challenge which took place to a live DJ.
The event was inspired by, and in memory of Leo Lewis, who passed away when he was a week old after being diagnosed with a rare genetic metabolic disorder called nonketotic hyperglycinemia.
“The ride was phenomenal and a success,” said David Walker, who owns RYDE along with wife Kelly.
“Ryde is committed to supporting the Cayman community and often hosts charity classes for a variety of different causes that are important to our regulars. The Ryde-A-Thon felt like a natural extension of that commitment,” Kelly said.
Leo’s parents, Maya and Richard Lewis, were also heavily involved in the planning of the event.
“After losing Leo we knew that nothing could bring him back, but what we could do was leave a positive mark on the world in his memory by helping others. The two charities chosen for this fundraiser felt like the perfect fit,” the couple said.
Ryde-A-Thon kicked off at 6pm on Friday, 22 Nov., following an informal kick-off party, and continued through the night and the early hours of the morning into Saturday afternoon.
Ryde instructor Michelle Fisher, who took inspiration from a 24-hour running event she used to participate in with her father when she was a young girl, was the brainchild behind the fundraiser.
An avid athlete herself, Fisher said having seen the success of the event her dad participated in and was so passionate about, she had been looking for a few years to bring the 24-hour sporting challenge to the Cayman Islands.
“I was just waiting for the right time,” she said. This year she found the reason she was looking for when friends of hers lost their son at just a week old and wanted to do something meaningful in his memory.
