For the last seven years, NewRoads Automotive Group has held its annual LakeRide to benefit the mental health program at Southlake Regional Health Centre.
This year, NewRoads is hoping to hit a milestone by setting the fundraising goal at $250,000, which would be an all-time record for the ride.
“We have quite a large goal this year and we’re working hard toward that,” said Rachel Hawtin, community liaison and brand manager at NewRoads. “In total, over the last seven years, we’ve raised just over $400,000.”
The reason they’ve set a lofty goal this year is because they’re hoping to take the total raised for Southlake from the ride to more than $1 million over the next few years.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said Hawtin. “The last few years we’ve added shorter routes so people can come with their families and ride. Riding together and as a family and being together as a community to make a difference is important.”
This year the ride offers 10, 20, 45, 80, and 100-kilometre routes and for those who hit individual fundraising milestones, they’ll receive swag. There’s a bike cap, socks, cycling jersey and a sweatsuit.
“I just picked them all up and they look really good… it’s really awesome,” Hawtin said. “If you raise $1,000, you get all those items. We also have a silent auction for those who want to support that way.”
The reason NewRoads Automotive Group steps up to organize the ride and fundraiser every year is because company CEO Michael Croxon has a passion for community outreach.
“One of our company pillars is community,” Hawtin said. “It’s really really important to our CEO and it goes down through our entire company. We focus a lot on community, especially with this event.”
The ride is always in support of the mental health program at Southlake because it’s something that impacts everyone and it can sometimes not be given enough attention despite its importance, said Hawtin.
“We want to make sure mental health gets just as much help as other departments,” she said. “Especially coming out of the pandemic, we always talk about how we need it now more than ever. Not only did the pandemic bring up mental health issues, but I think putting mental health in the spotlight, you realize how much help it needs regardless of the pandemic.”
With the focus being on mental health, the event also motivates participants to get active, which is key to mental health.
“In talking with the professional riders who join us for the day, I ask them how they prioritize their mental health, and Ed Veal always talks about how being on the bike is the way he maintains his mental health because it just washes everything away,” said Hawtin.
Southlake’s mental health campaign, Better Begins Today, aims to build spaces that heal and with donors like NewRoads, the hospital has raised $6.9 million and taken action to meet the growing demand for mental health care services.
“The journey to better mental health needs more than medicine,” said Jennifer Ritter, president and CEO of Southlake. “Together, with generous community partners like the NewRoads LakeRide, we will give our loved ones in crisis a place where that journey begins. A place of peace, dignity and security, where they can receive care faster and get home sooner.”
The LakeRide is on Sunday, Sept. 10, departing from the NewRoads Performing Arts Centre. Learn more about the ride and donate here.
