Paige Seburn
Niagara Now/The Lake Report
As Gail Rizzuto pedalled through the picturesque parkway on Sunday, she couldn’t help but feel the warmth of community support surrounding her.
The Hummel Family Healing Cycle ride was a perfect fit for Rizzuto, who is a passionate cyclist and volunteers for Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Palliative Care Services.
“It was a beautiful, quiet morning and a beautiful ride in the park. On our way back, everybody was waving and saying hi as they saw us coming. It was really nice,” said Rizzuto.
Participants took part in a five-kilometre walk and 10-km and 25-km bike rides, all starting from 176 Wellington St. in Old Town, taking off at 9 a.m.
The fundraiser attracted an inspiring turnout this year, raising nearly $65,000 by the time people were heading home.
The Healing Cycle Foundation helps fund palliative care in the community, showcasing the effectiveness of collective generosity.
Last year, approximately $60,000 was raised by the Hummel Family Healing Cycle, and additional funds from the Healing Cycle Foundation are distributed among participating hospices.
Bonnie Bagnulo, executive director of the NOTL palliative care organization, said that the support over the years has been crucial for expanding services that help those facing life-changing health challenges.
“Over the last three years, we’ve had more riders, more volunteers, more people come out, and more sponsors. It’s grown quite a bit,” she said.
“Every year it gets a little bit bigger, and we’re hopeful that it will continue to grow.”
Mark Gaudet, who Bagnulo said has been instrumental in supporting the fundraiser, took on the role of equipment maintenance and cleaning for the riders.
“Mark stepped up to the plate. Today, he came out to do the 25K ride and actually put himself at the end of the ride and followed all the riders up to 25K and back—just in case somebody’s bike broke down along the way,” said Bagnulo. “He’s amazing.”
Participants wore “Pedal Pushers” shirts featuring sponsors printed on the back, with each cyclist representing a different sponsor on their shirt with a sign.
“It’s a great way to show support for sponsors,” said Laura Fakla, a five-kilometre walker and volunteer with the palliative care community who is personally connected to the cause.
“I went to their pet loss support group, and it was profound to have that community support,” she said. “It’s important to help and be helped by others going through similar experiences.”
The fundraiser’s success can be attributed not only to the participants but also to the Hummel family, who pledged to match every dollar raised up to $25,000, effectively doubling the impact of community contributions.
“Palliative care is probably one of the most overlooked, thankless jobs because it’s messy, it’s heartbreaking and it’s uncomfortable,” said Raiana Hummel during her address to the crowd.
“I think for people to give their time, love, and expertise in that space is one of the most honorable things that you can do,” she said.
“This is an incredible organization, and I’m very proud to support it.”
Organizers won’t have a final count on the total amount raised until October: donations can be added until Sept. 31, however then the Healing Cycle Foundation adds donations to the teams, for first, second and third-place teams.
