Over 45 volunteers – Executive Committee, Steering Committee, and Team Leaders – commit an average of 40,000 hours annually to make it happen.
PWA provides staff support and together they plan and execute an event that profoundly changes lives.
Composing of the current and the previous years’ Bike Rally Co-Chairs, and PWAs Executive Director, Philanthropy & Communications Director, Philanthropy & Sponsorship Manager, and Special Events Coordinator – the Executive Committee provides oversight and leadership to the annual goals and performance.
The Steering Committee is responsible for the overall planning and execution of the Bike Rally working closely with the support of PWA. The Committee comprises of 12 subcommittees with up to 2 Co-Leads on each. There Rider focused, Crew focused and overall event subcommittees. The Committee meets monthly, beginning shortly after returning from Montreal each year. The Bike Rally is driven by dozens of dedicated volunteers, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes.
I rode in my first Bike Rally in 2009 to honour a friend who couldn’t do it himself. I’ve ridden every year since then because in honouring my friend, I found a village where I knew immediately I belonged. I am humbled to have been entrusted with the responsibility of co-chairing the 20th Annual Friends for Life Bike Rally, and I am so excited to work with my friend Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the thoughtful, dedicated and generous people on this year’s Steering Committee, the staff at PWA, and the entire Friends for Life Bike Rally community as we do all that we can to ensure PWA is able to continue doing its vital, beautiful work. It takes a village to raise a child, for certain; it also takes a village to sustain each of us as we make our way in life. I’m proud and grateful to be part of this village.
This year marks my 7th year on the Rally, and it seems I get in a little deeper every year. I initially became involved as a result of family and peer pressure, and now I can’t imagine a summer without it. I’m a slightly dumpy writer, knitter, and the mother of three adult daughters and one charming grandson, and it’s only in the last few years that I consider myself a cyclist, which is a little weird, considering how much I ride my bike. This year I’m looking forward to my role as Co-Chair with Ted Robinson, and celebrating our amazing Rally’s 20th anniversary.
I’m thrilled to be returning for my 10th year on the Bike Rally and my 4th on the Steering Committee. After three years of telling the story of the Bike Rally as co-lead for Media and Communications, this year I’m excited to co-lead the Community Engagement committee and look at more ways to grow the Bike Rally community. In Toronto as well as in communities along the route, we will be reaching out to businesses, organizations and agencies to raise the profile, the mission and message of the Friends For Life Bike Rally and the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation. This will be an exciting year for the Bike Rally and I’m thrilled to be playing a small role in it!
I joined the Friends for Life Bike Rally as a way to celebrate the life of one of my dearest friends. The opportunity for a personal challenge, the bonds of friendship, and most important the chance to give back have enriched my life is many ways. Our Health is a gift – one we must never take for granted. I started out as part of the food crew and found my niche on the rally. This will be my 10th year on the ride and 9th year on Steering Committee as Food Co-lead. Each year my journey is different but always full of joy, remembrance and new friendships. It is an honour and privilege to be part of a group of dedicated committee members, PWA agency staff and the Bike Rally participants who truly understand what a difference we can make.
I am very excited to be back on board as a Food Co-Lead for the 20th Annual PWA’s Friends For Life Bike Rally. This will be my 14th year with the Rally and I look forward to working with everyone to continue our goal of raising funds for PWA. When I joined many years ago, it was from a desire to give of my time to a worthy cause and support my friends who were dealing with HIV/AIDS. Although this goal has not changed – we still battle the stigma and disease – it is heartening to see how many people have joined us along the way to work towards our common cause. Every year the enthusiasm we see, both on the Ride and from the communities we pass through, is infectious and helps us move forward towards our common goal.
I love that participating in the Bike Rally gives me an opportunity to support PWA; that cycling, something that I enjoy very much, can be so noble. From my very first training ride in 2006 and continuing through every kilometre of four bike rallies as a cyclist and eventually as a team co-lead, participating in the F4LBR has meant being embraced as family. I support the Bike Rally in large part because of the sense of inclusiveness and belonging that it generates, the feeling that we’re one big family working towards a bigger goal. As this year’s co-lead in participant engagement, I look forward to helping everyone find that spirit of family.
The 20th PWA’s Friends for Life Bike Rally will be my first time on the Steering Committee. This will also be my fifth year on Crew (1st year was as a Rustler, 4th year on Road Support). I’m excited to be working closely with Gilbert May again on participant engagement. I care about the biker/crew experience and enjoy working to make the Rally socials and events enjoyable and memorable. Over the past several years, I’ve met and worked with many supportive and amazing people who are passionate and committed to this PWA fundraiser. I encourage all riders and crewmates to come out to the Bike Rally socials, get to meet new and returning participants, get involved with bike training sessions, participate at campsite activities and engage riders and crew at rally events. Cheers!
This is my eighth year on the Bike Rally and I’m super excited to be a member of the Steering Committee leading the Recruitment Committee with Warren Duffy. I’ve been a Team Leader four years (twice with my husband and twice with Steve Yeates) and the last two years my father and I rode together! The Bike Rally is a special experience and I hope you will join us fundraising for PWA. I have met so many wonderful Friends for Life over the years and I’d like for you to meet them too!
This will be my 6th year as a Rider on the Friends for Life Bike Rally, and third year on the Steering Committee. The week of the Bike Rally has really become the highlight of my year. Cycling, camping and eating are three of my favourite things in the world, and I cannot imagine a more entertaining, interesting and devoted group of people to do it with. I’m grateful for this opportunity to act as Co-Lead of Rider Team Leads together with Dallas, and looking forward to doing what I can to support PWA and everyone involved in the Rally.
This will be my third year on the Bike Rally and my first on steering committee. I’ve made incredible friends, had a ridiculously fun time, and have always loved the challenge of the ride. I’m excited to be part of the Bike Rally again this year as Co-Lead of Rider Team Leads with Cameron and am looking forward at the opportunity to help shape the Rally and support PWA.
Very late one evening in 2001 it seemed like a sensible idea to accept a challenge from a friend and join a small group of cyclists riding to Montréal the following summer in support of an organization I knew nothing about, PWA. In July 2002 we left Nathan Phillips Square in the pouring rain and I wondered what on Earth I had signed up for. Seven rides later (accompanied by my wife 5 times and my daughter twice – we’re still working on my son!) the Friends For Life Bike Rally has become a big part of my, and my family’s life. As a member of the Road Support Crew last year, it was gratifying to assist Riders on some very long, hot days. I am really pleased to be the Co-lead of the Road Support Crew again this year with Paul Dawson, and look forward to building on the success of previous years’ rides and making the experience a great one for the Riders.
This will be my 6th year participating in the Bike Rally, and every year the personal rewards and memories made keep getting better and better. I started in 2011 on the 13th year of the ride on Food Crew. The following year I moved to Road Support, and have never looked back! Over the years, I have developed strong friendships with many participants, and have also been blessed with the opportunity to help out and give back to PWA and the clients they serve. Volunteering on the Bike Rally has been a wonderful experience for me, allowing for personal growth and a chance to do my part to ensure our Riders have the guidance and support needed to make the journey from Toronto to Montreal.
Once again, I will be taking on the Co-lead role for Road Support for the 19th annual Bike Rally. I look forward to the exciting times and new challenges which lie ahead. I am also happy to be working again with my Co-lead partner, David Hughes.
I have been volunteering with the Friends for Life Bike Rally since 2007. I believe in giving back to my community and I enjoy participating with the Friends for Life Bike Rally. I have always worked with the Rubbermaid Ruslters. I have met and worked with many amazing people over the years, and I am looking forward to the 2017 Friends for Life Bike Rally.
The 20th Annual Friends for Life Bike Rally will be my 17th year with the Rubbermaid Rustlers since 2001, and after a couple years away from involvement in coordinating, my tenth year on the Steering Committee. I’m excited to be back, and look forward to working closely with Bob Beerman again and building a great team for 2018! This incredible event is extremely rewarding, both personally and spiritually. The energy of the Rally and excitement of the Participants each year remind me why I returned after my first year. I continue to participate with inspired passion, thoughts and memories of dear friends, and the anticipation of new bonds and friendships! Here’s to 600 kilometres of smiles and cheers to the Bike Rally family!
This will be my 10th as a rider and 7th year as part of the Steering Committee. I’m excited to be back as Sponsorship Lead and looking forward to helping the Bike Rally continue to support those in our community living with HIV/AIDS. Along with all the volunteers and PWA staff our sponsors are a very important part of making the Bike Rally a success.
What started off as a physical challenge for me four years ago had evolved over time into a genuine passion for community service. The Friends for Life Bike Rally has proven to me that there really is strength in numbers and that anything is achievable when a committed and passionate network of people come together with a true, common purpose. I am humbled to be joining the 20th year of the Bike Rally in my fifth year as a Rider, and the Training and Support Co-Lead in my third year on the Steering Committee. I am very excited to share my experience and skills on training and performance in supporting my fellow riders on their Bike Rally journey!
Having done the Bike Rally for 4 years now, I am passionate about the power that effective training can provide in helping cyclists reach their goals (like getting to Montreal!). My first year on the Bike Rally was also my first year as a road cyclist, and it really cultivated my love for cycling. As a co-lead for Training & Support, I want to help others grow that same love and passion for cycling, while also providing Bike Rally Participants the support they need to ride safe and strong.
This is my 10th year on the Bike Rally and every year has been a little different but always amazing. I have been so fortunate to be able to take part and to meet all of the wonderful people that make up the ride. A bit of background – I am a Registered Nurse and I currently work for the Connecting GTA Program – developing the first regional electronic health record. I look forward to meeting everyone. Drop by for a chat – even if you don’t need our assistance!!
Hi Everyone, this is the start of my 11th year on the Friends For Life Bike Rally. I was a member of the Wellness team for 2 years and have been a Co-Lead of Wellness 8 times and a Rider twice. I bring my experience of working as a Paramedic for the City of Toronto to assist all the amazing Riders and Crew that will be making the 20th Friends For Life Bike Rally 2018 the best ride yet!
A Coach is an amazing volunteer who provides additional support to participants by lending their expertise and skill. Participants can book a 1-on-1 session with a coach by sending an email request to them directly.
This will be my 15th year on the Friends For Life Bike Rally – 11 years as a rider and 4 wonderful years volunteering on crew. I am excited to be the Fundraising Coach. Each year I gain more and more from the Bike Rally and I am pleased to be able to give back by helping riders meet and exceed the fundraising goals.
As a registered rider in PWA’s Friends For Life Bike Rally, you have a limited opportunity to choose whose team you will be part of for the Bike Rally. Your Team Leaders are dedicated to checking in on your training progress, passing on important information for your Bike Rally experience and most importantly, helping to make the Bike Rally a fun and safe event. The Bike Rally Bulletin will alert you when team selection opens (early January). There will be more information in the coming weeks about this but for now, let’s introduce you to the Team Leaders that have volunteered their time this year. Click below to read their bios and learn more about them.
2018 will be my eleventh year as a rider and my fourth as a Team Lead. I first joined in 2008, thinking it would primarily be a physical endeavor. I had done bicycle touring with my family, and I wanted to see how fast I could ride with grown-ups. I went on all the training rides that first year, learning at last how to ride faster than my kids, but I also found a community that I just can’t quit. I keep coming back, year after year, to live a fantasy week in a supportive world where jerks just don’t seem to exist. Looking forward to being part of an encouraging, helpful and of course, fun team!
I am very excited to be coming on board as a co-lead for the 18th Annual PWA’s Friends For Life Bike Rally. I have been blessed with the ability to be a Rider with the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation Friends for Life Bike Rally for four years since I moved here from the U.S. After hearing about so many experiences from friends and past riders, I knew that I had to contribute my time and effort to such a worthy cause. I have been working with PHAs since I was 18 years old, functioning as a healthcare professional in several areas in the Northeast U.S., and am currently working to get my nursing licence in Canada from Ryerson University. Working with such a community has been beyond humbling and I have gained as much from this foundation as I have given and maybe even more. Since my coming to the Bike Rally, I have volunteered for years as both Team Lead and member of the Steering Committee, and I will continue to help make the Bike Rally be the best it can possibly be! I am grateful for this opportunity and must thank all those who helped guide me towards the growth that has come from being a part of this wonderful organization and fundraiser to help relinquish the stigma and bring light to those in our area living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
This will be my third year on the PWA Bike Rally and second year as a Team Lead. I’m a certified fitness professional and am passionate about coaching my team towards a successful yet enjoyable ride. The Bike Rally has been a transformative experience for me as I previously had no training in road cycling. Raising $13,500 for PWA and arriving in Montreal on my first year brought a feeling that I’ll never forget and I’m excited to share that with each of my team members.
I’m thrilled to be back for my second year as a Team Lead and fourth year of cycling to Montreal for PWA. I’ve had such a great time leading a team and such a great team (shout-out to “That’s All Spokes!!”), I thought I’d do it again. I’m a certified personal trainer and avid cyclist and love helping people improve their cycling and bringing them on to the rally, which has become a wonderful part of my life.
2018 will be my 3rd year as Friends For Life Bike Rally Rider and my first year as a Team Lead. I first joined the Bike Rally after hearing what an amazing, rewarding, challenging and fulfilling experience it had been for some friends I had sponsored. I was hooked right away! The best part of the Bike Rally HAS to be the community atmosphere among riders and volunteers. Maybe it’s knowing the amazing work that the PWA does that they help support, but everyone involved comes together in the most incredible way. I’ve been very lucky to have had wonderful team experiences and exceptional Team Leads in past years. I’m very excited for the opportunity to help others maximize their enjoyment of the ride and help raise the PWA some well-deserved money.
I decided to join my first Bike Rally 6 years ago as a personal fitness challenge. Crossing the finish line in Montreal for the first time was such a monumental personal accomplishment that I knew I wanted to both relive the experience and keep supporting the amazing work done by the PWA. This will be my fourth ride and first as a Team Lead. I’m excited and honoured to help lead a team of fun and energetic riders as they prepare for their ride to Port Hope or Montreal, and to share the deeply rewarding experience with them.
After a few years away, I’m excited to get back into fun/family that is the Bike Rally. This will be my second time team leading with Patric and my third time riding. Years ago, I signed up on a whim and was blown away by the amount of good that the Bike Rally does. Hundreds of people spending a week cycling to help others is a pretty amazing experience and both Patric and I are thrilled to be part of it again. As experienced cyclists, former camp counselors, and experts at dad jokes/random facts, we plan on making this a fun and successful year. Whether you’re on our team or not, come say hi. We look forward to getting to know all of you on the 2018 Rally!
Back again for my third time as a Team Lead, the second with Geoff Capelle, this will be my sixth time riding to Montreal as part of the Bike Rally. I’m really excited to come back for year 20 after a couple of years not being able to participate, and it will be great to work with Geoff again as we do our best to help new riders figure out how to get ready for the ride, and keep the communications open for more experienced riders. As a long-time rider, former Team Lead and training ride coach, I’m here with lots of tips and tricks to help both with the physical aspects of the ride and making sure you reach your fundraising goals. Plus Geoff and I are both here to make sure our team has a ton of fun both before and on the ride. See you on the road!
This will be my third year as a rider and my first year as a Team Lead in the Friends for Life Bike Rally. Biking and camping with my friends are just two parts of what makes the Bike Rally my favourite week of the year. I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm with my co-lead Kirill and our team this year.
This will be my second year on the Bike Rally and my first year as a Team Lead. Bike Rally 2017 was an amazing experience, it had a life changing impact on me. I knew that I would be a returning rider after my first day on the Rally. Cycling and camping are my all time favourite summer activities, combining the two for 6 days is simply genius. I am grateful for this opportunity to be a Team Lead for the 20th anniversary year. Looking forward to working with Stefan Fogal to ensure that everyone on our team will have an incredible experience. Can’t wait to get on my bike and go on a 600 km journey with my Friends For Life.
I couldn’t be more excited to be doing it again as a third-time Team Lead and in this exciting 20th anniversary year. The ride is challenging but worth every pedal stroke! I can’t wait to share my experiences with you and make your time on the 20th ride one you’ll never forget!
2018 will be my fourth year on the Bike Rally and first year as a Team Lead! For me, the Bike Rally is a beautiful example of the collective power of an engaged and passionate community to reach a goal. It’s given me so much more energy and purpose in each year of my life, allowing me to give back to the community I live in and to create meaningful new relationships with those who I’ve met on the rally. I feel very lucky to have been surrounded and supported by the leaders on the rally who have made it what it is today – a world class experience for everyone involved. I chose to be a Team Lead this year because I want to share my excitement for the rally with new and returning riders and do everything I can to make their experience as fulfilling as mine has been!
I’m sure that a lot of people that will be doing the 20th Annual Friends for Life Bike Rally already know this face as this will be my 17th year. The Bike Rally has been one of my most cherished annual events. I look forward to another year with old and new friends. I sipped the Kool-Aid right away and have not regretted a moment since. May there be more Kool-Aid and many more truly wonderful Bike Rally stories.
The Friends for Life Bike Rally and the Toronto People With Aids Foundation speak loudly to my heart. I have always been a rider and once before a co-Team Lead with someone who I think of as a dear friend now. I was a training ride coach for two years and I loved it. I loved meeting all the new people and especially loved enabling the successes that followed. Make sure you sip and savour the Kool-Aid for yourself and the rest of the world.
From my first ride I recognized the front line importance of the Team Leads. Communications, guidance and mentoring to mention just a few roles. Empowering everyone as a group to safely succeed and enjoy. This year with the expected larger crowd I felt that it was about time to try and pay back for all the amazing rides that I have had from Toronto to Montreal. I especially look forward to Team Leading with Scott Merritt. Between the two of us we have cycling covered for sure 🙂
This will be my first year as a Rider Team Lead and I am super stoked for it. It gives me great pride to be part of a wonderful organization that makes a difference in our community for those living with HIV/AIDS. As an avid cyclist and employee of Cycle Solutions (who have been a wonderful supporter/sponsor of the Ride for over 15 plus years) I want to help continue to support all volunteers to reach their goals and help contribute to the personal growth and development of such a great event. I look forward to building new and old relationships with the Bike Rally Family. It brings me such joy to have Rodney Mc Keen as my co-Team Lead this year. Rodney brings tons of experience and knowledge to the Bike Rally and we can’t wait to begin this wonderful journey of the F4LBR.
After a two-year travel hiatus, I am honoured to be back participating in my 11th year with the Bike Rally. I rode for nine years, was crew for one year, and a Team Lead for seven. The Bike Rally has brought me more than words can express. Through hail, snow, rain, lightning, intense heat, and multiple injuries (eight knee surgeries!), I have continued to build strength not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. Outside of riding, the Bike Rally has become a second family to me, a ‘place’ that rejuvenates and revives me. Every participant I have encountered has touched me and added to my life. For these many reasons, I am pleased to be able to give back as a Team Lead. In all facets of my life, but especially as a Team Lead and educator (I am an elementary school teacher, and ski coach on weekends), I believe in inclusiveness, collaboration and integrity. I look forward to meeting and building my new team with my incredible friend and co-lead, Lee Schofield (one of the funnest and most accomplished people I know!). Let’s make this the best year EVER!
Hi everyone! I am so excited to be participating in the Bike Rally for my 5th year, and my 2nd year as a Team Lead with Carey Heeney. I’ve had the chance to really see the Bike Rally evolve since I first rode in 2010, and always love giving back to an organization and event that has given me so much. My job is in health care, and I work with many patients that benefit from the services that the Toronto PWA Foundation supports. I’ve seen the direct impact of the programs that we are helping to support at the PWA.
I LOVE to cycle and go camping, and this has been a great chance to combine both of my passions into a fulfilled week! Whether you are returning, or this will be your first ride, I can’t wait to share the experience with all of you en route to Port Hope or Montreal!
I couldn’t be happier to be back for a lucky 7th year on the rally, and my 3rd as a Team Lead. The bliss of spending a week away from the daily grind, outdoors immersed in a super sweaty challenge, all while raising money for a cause that is close to my heart is irresistible! Mike and I look forward to building a fun and supportive team combining new faces and old friends.
I initially joined the Bike Rally for the physical challenge and while I definitely found it, I also found an amazing community of friends, and made memories that will last for the rest of my life. This will be my fourth year as a rider and my second as a Team Lead. I’m thrilled to be co-leading with John and I know we will build an amazing team. I can’t wait to see what this summer has in store!
The 20th Bike Rally will be my fifth year riding and second as a Team Lead. Initially I joined the ride to challenge myself but now I ride for so many more reasons. I keep riding because of the friends I have made, to keep in shape, and to indulge in expensive bicycle upgrades. But I also return as I have been deeply moved meeting and listening to the experiences of PWA clients. I am privileged with generous friends and family and it would bad karma not to direct their donations dollars to PWA.
2018 will be my 4th year on Bike Rally and my 2nd as a Team Lead. I joined initially for fitness reasons but am now devoted to the cause and have developed lasting relationships with others involved.
I’m excited to return to PWA’s Friends for Life Bike Rally for my 8th year. The physical challenge and helping PWA with the support of friends and family brings me back year after year. It is an amazing feeling to arrive in Port Hope or Montréal, after all we’ve accomplished. Last year my dad rode with me and he signed up in November to do it again this year! This is my fifth year as a Team Lead and I’m thrilled to be leading again this year with Stephen Yeates. Every year the ride is an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Every year is a fun new adventure and I look forward to sharing the experience with you!
This will be my fourteenth ride down the road to Montreal for Toronto PWA and my third as a team co-leader. Pedalling combined with community support is a perfect fit for me. At the beginning I was intimidated by fund-raising; my friends and family are used to me doing long distance bike rides (for 46 years now) so I knew they wouldn’t be impressed with a ride to Montreal. I had to get creative but, as I discovered, it wasn’t that difficult and the Friends for Life Community turned out to be just what it’s called. I now feel embedded in this wonderful group of friends. Maybe because of the mostly volunteer nature of the organization or the connection with PWA’s cause that many riders have, beside having more fun than should be legal on a bike, this group is noticeably committed and focussed on PWA’s goals. I’m looking forward to hitting the road next July; it never gets old.
My first Bike Rally was last year. I rode to honour the memory of a dear friend who had died 20 years earlier. What brings me back this year, and encourages me help lead a team is the ongoing stigma related to HIV/AIDS. No matter the medical advances in treating HIV over the last decade or more, the stigma associated with being HIV+ still does great damage. The work that PWA does is vital to challenging this stigma. Raising money and supporting the Bike Rally as a Team Lead are small ways I can contribute to this important work. I’m also supporting the Media & Communications committee this year, helping to get the message out to riders and the broader public alike about why we ride at all.
This is my 6th year on the Bike Rally, 5th time riding and 4th time as a Team Lead. The week of the rally is absolutely the highlight of my summer and the countdown to packing day starts the day we get home! Being a team lead is my favourite part of the rally, seeing everyone get ready and helping those first-year riders ease their nerves and have a fantastic day or week. I am very excited to team lead with Jeff this year, a first-year rider on my team last year.
During the past few years my involvement in the Bike Rally has been working on both Road Support and the Participant Engagement Committee. This year will be my 6th year as a rider and my first as a Team Lead. The last time I arrived in Montreal on my bike was in the summer of 2015. I must admit it now that I haven’t been on my bike for a couple of years. Instead, I have spent most of my time eating chips and watching TV, but now I feel I am almost ready to get back into shape. I need the rally to motivate and make sure I stay focused on getting healthy and rider training will definitely help make that a reality. Every year the Bike Rally is a little different but it is always an amazing experience. I enjoy riding slowly and spending time with other riders who are just trying to make it to camp. I love camping and I enjoy a good celebration. I am looking forward to working with my co-lead Michael making sure our team feels fully supported. I think the 20th year will be an exciting event. Sign up today and help support PWA!!! It will change you!!!
This will be my eighth year on the Bike Rally, it’s my first year as Team Lead, with six years as a rider, and one year on Road Support. I keep coming back year after year as I love the physical challenge, the camaraderie, the camping, and without question i love the cause. I enjoy riding fast with a group drafting off of one another, and I also enjoy slowing down for pictures and to marvel at the beauty of the landscapes. I often (almost always) have tunes on my bike, so if you have a favourite band. song, or genre of music be sure to tell me so i can add it to the playlist. I’m excited to be a Team Lead this year and I’m looking forward to sharing this year’s experience with my co-lead Phil. Let’s make the 20th year the best year yet.