Gin and I were summoned at 9am for an interview with Global National TV in Coal Harbour. We scampered around for breakfast and soon joined the swarm of volunteers at BC Place for the rally. BC Place brass had kindly allowed us to set up our sound system, balloons, sales table and even the full RV rig beside the monument of Terry Fox. At noon about 100 listeners were gathered to hear welcomes and speeches from various dignitaries and people affected by mental health.
One highlight was Andy and his wife Cheryl Szocs's donation for $1 million dollars! Andy decided he wanted to make a difference and attack stigma associated with the disease and that we were the best people to help execute a program in that direction. Andy spoke passionately about the cause and both Ginny and I believe we can make a difference under Andy's guidance. A million thanks Andy and Cheryl: you are really special people. Of course we would like to thank all the vollies, speakers and organizers, chiefly Sharon Smith-Swan.
We pushed off from BC Place with the aim of riding up to Squamish for another rally at 6 pm, along with 3 other riders .As we began our journey way back in May in the rain, so it was when we left for Squamish. Actually, it was a comedy of errors from that time on. We were meant to coordinate with the big rig and the Dawgs in North Vancouver, but they ran the car over the loading dolly and needed a tow truck to bail them out. En-route we lost two of the riders in Vancouver, and Ginny got a flat tire out of Horseshoe Bay without our support crew. After we fixed things up, one of the riders had a not so intimate meeting (they never are) with the asphalt and had to turn back with her knee in bandages. Worried about being late for our rally, and soaked to the bone, we boarded the Starship in Britannia and raced to The Squamish Youth Resource Centre.
Just in time, we addressed a small group along with our favourite MP, John Weston, before making our way to our complimentary rooms at The Executive Suites (many thanks) and after a quick fish and chips at The Wig and Pier, we checked in for hot showers and the immediate rack, excited about our final homecoming on the morrow.
