My 2024 Ride

This past weekend I completed my 14th Ride and am proud to have been part of the best team participating - Team Big Mouth Frog - with Megan Armstrong Paul Morrell, CCM, CCE , David Main, MBA, PGA, ECM , Hendrick van der Geld , Greg Long, CPA, CA , Mike Ridout, MBA Paul Long and Brian Mielko . This incredible two-day event raised $20.6 million for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. These funds will support breakthroughs in cancer research, lead to life-saving advancements in early detection, and help develop treatment options that did not exist when the event started in 2008.

In late 2010, when I signed up for my first The Ride to Conquer Cancer , I knew very little about the weekend and how impactful it could be.? I simply knew what my friend Greg Brady had told me about his first years doing it.? I was all set for summer 2011 but didn't think of my commitment much beyond that.? An hour after my wife, Kelly, dropped me off that June morning, I stood with chills running down my back and tears welling up in my eyes as the introductions and speeches began. That year, they announced $17 million raised, welcomed an impassioned speech from a survivor on how the wonderful people at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre helped them and then it was time to ride.? I was sold, and I hadn't even begun to pedal.

We officially became a team with just two of us in 2018, with my sister, and our captain, Megan Armstrong . After a few years riding together, we became TBMF in 2018 after our dad passed away.? Bert was a storyteller and would regularly entertain kids/grandkids with the telling of the story of the Big Mouth Frog. It’s one of the many things that we remember so vividly. We even held a family golf tournament with a frog trophy. Since then, we have grown to a remarkable collection of individuals to become a team that trains together and rides together. We have been known to share a few butter tarts, baked goods and perhaps a few beverages together after these group rides too. ??

Team Big Mouth Frog made an impact because of so many of you – our families, friends, and colleagues. Our mighty team of nine raised $46845.61 this year and were #4 in ‘Community Teams’ (6-10 riders), #36 in ‘Community Teams’ (overall), and #80 in ‘All Teams’. We like to think we stand out a bit on the road as well with our jerseys too. Special thanks to our team kit designer and chief creative officer Paul Morrell, CCM, CCE . ?

Personally, I am grateful for everyone who has supported me through fourteen years of fundraising. As I hounded people for months to give what they could to my fund-raising effort, the $4500 you donated was immediately put to work.

From this past weekend’s Ride, I offer you some big numbers:

???????? $20.6 million raised this year and $300 million raised to date

???????? 4853 riders participating

???????? 220 km completed (including a small side trip to a Dundas LCBO with a friend on Day One)

???????? Two teams topped $1 million in their fundraising

???????? Over 500 Crew members assisted with the organization of the weekend from manning the pit stops and lunch stations, supervising intersections to overseeing the entire hospitality and tent city at McMaster University.

Thank you all so much for your support. See you in 2025 for year 15!

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