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Local resident riding dapper with the gentlemen for men's health

It pretty much ticked all the boxes for local real estate salesperson Sheila Stewart: a unique event requiring participation with a vintage-styled motorcycle to raise money and awareness for two important causes. There just was that “gentleman” thing.
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Sheila Stewart is donning her suit, tie and moustache to ride her vintage moped in the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride Sept. 30.

It pretty much ticked all the boxes for Sheila Stewart: a unique event requiring participation with a vintage-styled motorcycle to raise money and awareness for two important causes.

There just was that “gentleman” thing.

Undaunted, the Newmarket resident will be riding her Tomas Targa in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride next Sunday, Sept. 30, in Toronto to raise money for men’s mental health and prostate cancer.

She’ll don a tie, suit and Movember moustache to get into the spirit of the ride, joining more than 120,000 distinguished and well-mannered gentlefolk in more than 650 cities around the world — wearing their cravats and ties and pressing their tweeds, while astride their classic and vintage-styled motorcycles.

“It’s actually a moped,” Stewart said of the eye-catching ride that she had restored after purchasing it on Kijiji and emblazoned with her name and the real estate company, Main Street Realty Ltd. Brokerage, where she works as a salesperson.

While participating at the recent Take Back the Night rally in Newmarket as a sponsor, Stewart was made aware of the charity event by another participant who noticed her Tomas Targa beside the brokerage’s booth.

With a couple of bucket-list rides under her belt — recently conquering the iconic Hwy. 507 —  she jumped at the opportunity to ride her old-school Tomas for a cause close to her heart.

“I felt an obligation to help,” she said. “My family has been affected — everyone’s family is probably affected by these two issues — and I want to support more research to this cause.”

She’ll be joined by her partner, who will be riding a 1980 Yamaha QT50.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was founded in Sydney, Australia by Mark Hawwa, who was inspired by a photo of Mad Men’s Don Draper astride a classic bike and wearing his finest suit. Hawwa decided a themed ride would be a great way to combat the often negative stereotype of men on motorcycles, while connecting niche motorcycle communities together.

The first ride in 2012 brought together more than 2,500 riders across 64 cities. The success of the event encouraged the founder to consider how it could be used to support a worthy cause.

“Influenced by the tragedy of losing one of our ride hosts to depression, from 2016 we have seen a change in our health fundraising goals,” states the ride website. “Now, the funding of men's mental health programs is a Distinguished Gentleman's Ride focus, in addition to prostate cancer research through our new official charity partner The Movember Foundation and the support of our title sponsors Triumph Motorcycles and Zenith Watches.”

This year’s ride aims to raise $6 million.

A scooter with pedals, a moped typically has an engine of 50cc or less.

“It does 55 km/h max, if I give it full throttle, going down a hill,” Stewart said with a grin.”I’ll probably come in last.”

Slovenia-based Tomos has been manufacturing mopeds, motorcycles, outboard motors and Citroen cars since 1954 for the European market. Her moped model, Targa, was manufactured in the Tomos factory in the Netherlands.

If you would like to support Stewart’s goal to raise $1,000, visit here

 


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Debora Kelly

About the Author: Debora Kelly

Debora Kelly is NewmarketToday's editor. She is an award-winning journalist and communications professional who is passionate about building strong communities through engagement, advocacy and partnership.
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