Head For The Hills "Abundantly Blessed" This Year, Says Reimer

It appears the COVID-19 pandemic didn't keep the 18th annual Head For The Hills fund raising bike ride through the Pembina Hills from being a success.

Organizers were planning for the typical 200+ participants when public health restrictions came into effect this spring, resulting in minimal pre-registration numbers compared to previous years, according to Earl Reimer, director of development for Eden Foundation, the organization behind the event. At this point, Reimer admits he thought they'd be lucky to get even 100 riders out for the ride. "...I (thought I) would be quite content with that already, but the reality is that today has proven me completely wrong," he said following Saturday's event. 

In fact, early estimates indicated approximately 180 riders turned out for the ride Saturday, raising $80,000+ for Eden Health Care Services, according to Reimer.

"There are differences, significant differences, from what this year was from last year but we have been blessed exceedingly and abundantly above all that we could have asked," he said.

Additional changes to this year's event included having one start and stop location based at the Cripple Creek Music Festival site, allowing participants to park their vehicle in the same place they ride back to. As well, both the Trail Ride and Road Route were modified.

Funds raised from the annual event benefit Eden Health Care Services, and CEO Kym Kaufmann says she was pleased to see people come out in support of the ride despite all of the uncertainty around the pandemic.

"A lot of our programs and services rely on support from the Eden Foundation in order to make them run and supplement some of the government funding that we do receive...to help support individuals on their mental health journey," she explained.

Kaufmann explained 2020 has been particularly difficult because of COVID-19, noting Eden Health Care Services has seen a decrease in donations through the Eden Foundation, and cuts/pause in some of its other stable funding streams during this time. "So we rely even more heavily on the Foundation at a time that they're also needing community support as well."

Meantime, Reimer credits many people for helping to make this "incredible, incredible" day, from the riders to those who donated, to those who volunteered their time to set up and host rest stations along the routes, sponsors that helped cover 100 per cent of the event's expenses, and the family estate that allowed organizers to use the Cripple Creek site as a home base for the event. As well, Reimer thanks Ironmen Industries for loaning one of its Job Jon hot water hand wash stations, which are in high demand, in order to help participants keep proper hand hygiene.