GCC 2026 -Day 25

I am nearing the end of my time with GCC, and people have been asking what I am going to do with my time!

Well, first I have to finish cycling to honour my commitment to ride 300 kilometres during the month of August. After that, I have another little project I would love to get started. ❤️

Over the last 10 years, I have been incredibly blessed by the support of so many people. I dare not start mentioning names because I know I would miss someone, but if you donated, provided prizes, encouraged me, shared my Facebook posts, rode with me, or supported me in any way, please know how grateful I am.

Over those 10 years, I have also been honoured by Great Cycle Challenge Canada to be called a Champion, and year after year they have generously supplied me with GCC jerseys and T-shirts.

Now, as my GCC journey begins to wind down, I have been wondering:

What am I going to do with all these jerseys and T-shirts?

They could sit on a shelf or in a drawer for the next 20 years.

But I have a much better idea. 🧸❤️

I would love to turn them into comfort bears for children on a cancer journey.

These jerseys represent 10 years of my passion for helping kids fighting cancer. Instead of packing that passion away, I would love to pass it along.

My passion can become YOUR passion to help kids fighting cancer!

And that is how the Great Henrietta Bear Brigade was born! 🧸

I have 19 GCC jerseys and 7 T-shirts ready to become bears. Now I need some help.

I am looking for people who can sew and make memory bears, and I am also looking for people who would be willing to sponsor a bear to help cover the costs of making the bears and getting them to children at SickKids Hospital in Toronto.

Together, we can turn 10 years of memories into hugs, comfort and smiles for little warriors who fight so hard every single day.

And with September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I can’t think of a better time to get this brigade started. 🎗️

If you can MAKE A BEAR or would like to SPONSOR A BEAR, please reach out to me so we can talk about how to make this happen.

LET’S DO THIS! 🧸❤️

Join the Great Henrietta Bear Brigade!

One jersey. One bear. One hug.

Together, we can make a difference

GCC 2026 - Day 22 Group Ride

Wow, it’s been ten days since I updated this page! I’ve been trying to get a ride in every day but then did not find the time to update the page. Yesterday was special though! After much planning, making sure all the moving parts were in order….dot the “I”s and cross the “t”s so to speak! Everything looked like it was perfect. Unfortunately, the only thing I had no control over was the weather. After watching the weather network all week, it looked like it would be a good day to ride! Then as the day grew closer, Mother Nature thought to throw a wrench into all the planning…forecast for rain for a good part of the morning! What to do - should we cancel, should we ride? A good downpour in the morning dampened my spirits for sure, but let’s soldier on. It’s what the kids on a cancer journey have to do!!! Thoughts about postponing were not really an option….too many moving parts in this special day to be able to do later, so off to Tillsonburg I headed! What happened was truly amazing, the roads dried up, the sun came out, and together with 16 other riders from various parts of the province, set off on our ride! After the initial meeting and getting acquainted with new riders to the group, and some drone video by Craig, we were piped from the parking lot of the Alliance Church parking lot to the road by Stephen, we cycled 14.5 km. We were kept safe with the help of John, from Cops and Rodders Oxford Branch, who provided a sweep car to follow the group. Unfortunately, the unpredictable weather meant we had to resort to Plan B, and use his own car instead of the cool hotrod we were planning to make use of. At one point we lost part of the group and sent back a "search and rescue” team to catch them up to where we were waiting for them. We continued on to Makkink’s Flower Farm and Bakery for more pictures and a wonderful time of getting acquainted, sharing stories and experiences of being part of Great Cycle Challenge! It was such a special time, made even more special by having our injured friend, the unicyclist, Zach Wells in attendance!! These are some of the experiences and friends that I am going to miss since this is my last year with Great Cycle Challenge, but these memories will stay with me forever! I’m sure I will stay in contact with many of you, and follow your progress as you continue to ride and fundraise for the kids fighting cancer!