It has been a few years, but Matt McDowell and his wife Sandra are back to the mountain bike trek this year.
They are also bringing back Comedy Night at TC’s Pub. On Saturday, May 12, Simon King and Michelle Shaughnessy will entertain people as part of a fundraiser for BC Lung Association.
Matt said he and his wife are participating in the 27th annual Bicycle Trek for Life and Breath on September 8 and 9. Cyclists will ride 100 kilometres from White Rock to Cultus Lake and another 100 kilometres back again, Matt explained. “We had done it three years in a row up until 2007. We had a baby and [life’s] been kind of hectic since so we’re going to try and do it this year.”
He estimated they usually raise about $1,000 to $1,200 from Comedy Night. “Normally you have to solicit people individually for donations every time we do the bike trek which, after a few years in a row, people see coming and they think you’re asking for donations every time. By holding the comedy night we can raise the money we need to participate in the bike trek and raise money for the BC Lung Association in one night.”
Matt said he and Sandra look forward to holding the event again after taking a few years off and they are also excited to get back into the trek. “We decided to do it again because it’s fun, it’s a great event. If anybody’s interested in doing it, they can contact me or just look on the website for BC Lung Association because it’s a great event. They take great care of you. Once you show up they’ve basically got you for the whole weekend. They take care of you as far as food and where you stay and all that.”
Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition joins the lung association in hosting the trek. It is not a race, but a cycling event for people of various ages and levels of fitness. Over 400 cyclists participate in the trek, which is one of the biggest fundraisers for the association. It raises nearly half a million dollars each year toward making lung disease history.
Matt said it is an experience open to anyone. “We see people out there who don’t ride normally and it’s a great challenge...Usually anyone who does it wants to go back and do it again. It’s a lot of fun. I actually have a cousin who’s probably done it 14 years in a row in Squamish. There’s a lot if people who keep doing it over and over again.”
Tickets for Comedy Night at TC’s Pub are $15 and are available at First Credit Union, Tempco Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, or by calling Matt or Sandra at 604.485.0361. Table reservations are available for six or more people. The event begins at 8 pm on Saturday with doors opening at 6 pm.
More information about the Bicycle Trek for Life and Breath can be found online.
