Biking for Brain Health
A group of 25 Toronto Police Service members are joining the fight against dementia by riding in the Mattamy Homes Baycrest Bike for Brain Health event on June 4.
They will join thousands of riders, volunteers and supporters for the 75-km ride along the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway to raise funds to promote research, innovation, care and education in the field of aging and brain health.
“Baycrest is an organization that is committed to enriching the quality of life of our community through research, innovation and education in the field of aging and brain health,” said Constable Scott Surridge, who is a Neighbourhood Community Officer in the Kensington Market – Chinatown neighbourhood. “A number of our team members are personally affected by dementia in their family, which makes this cause close to our hearts.”
The officers’ original goal was to raise $5,000. So far, they have raised over $18,000.
Donations to the team can be made here.
The 14 Division Neighbourhood Community Officers have taken the opportunity to raise awareness about bicycle safety and brain health in their work, most recently at a community event at Coronation Park on May 13 along Toronto busiest lakefront bike path.
Baycrest volunteers provided information about the fundraising event as well as the devastating impacts of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease while police officers from 14 Division took the opportunity to reinforce messages about bicycle safety and registering your bike with police.
“This event helped people realize that police officers are no different than our communities and we are affected by the same issues that they encounter,” said Surridge, of talking about the importance of the fundraising.
