Support My Journey
On June 8th 2010, twenty-one-year-old Blane Morden from Jarvis Ontario was cycling on Upper James Street in Hamilton, Ontario when he collided with a vehicle. Morden, an avid cyclist was tragically killed in the accident.
During his short time here, Morden was able to complete two major bike trips, one from Jarvis, Ontario to the Manitoba border and another from Hamilton, Ontario to Prince Edward Island. However, he was never able to accomplish his goal of cycling across Canada in a single trip. Enter, Dennis Choi, a close friend to Morden who has decided to cycle across Canada in his memory.
Friends since high school, Choi describes Morden as a “compassionate individual who always saw the good in the bad”. He was the kind of person who you could immediately connect with, the guy who “made everyone around him feel comfortable”. Choi knows that this will be a big challenge for him, cycling approximately 7300 km, in approximately 80 days. However, he believes that his ride can generate a great deal of attention and awareness towards the importance of road safety in Blane Morden’s name. Choi hopes to make the roads a safer place for cyclist, motorists and pedestrians alike.
This memorial ride will begin in Jarvis, Ontario – hometown to both Choi and Morden. Choi will then be making his way towards the east coast. Upon arrival in the East Coast Dennis will board a plane destined for Vancouver, British Columbia. From the West Coast, he will continue on his route back to Jarvis, Ontario. Along the route Choi plans to connect with cycling clubs and organizations to gain media attention and support. He is encouraging friends and supporters to join him for a leg of the ride.
Dennis plans to collect funds in memory of his friend for the “Right To Play” organization. Right To Play is an incredible organization whose mission is to “To improve the lives of children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world by using the power of sport and play for development, health and peace”. Dennis loves this charity, he believes that their mission and values are in sync with the way Blane lived his life.
During the ride Choi will be blogging and posting photos and videos of his journey. Through Facebook, twitter, and his personal blog he hopes to keep his followers updated every night on where he is, and where he expects to be within the next 24 hours. As well, he plans to detail his trials and tribulations along the way.
Choi is encouraging friends, family, community and supporters alike to lend a hand in any way possible. As a University Student himself, Dennis hopes that the majority of his costs can be covered though in-kind donations so the majority of donations can go directly to support Right To Play. In-kind donations sought can include everything from meals and lodging along the route to advertising space in media outlets.
Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Working in both the humanitarian and development context, Right To Play trains local community leaders as Coaches to deliver its programs in countries affected by war, poverty, and disease in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.