Cops for Kids Ride stopping in Kamloops this Friday

Kamloops City

2024-09-05 17:39 PDT

View larger image: a team of cyclists in black and pink uniforms ride together on a roadway with mountains in the background.

A determined team of cyclists is coming to the Kamloops RCMP Detachment next week as part of a special mission to help kids.

On Friday Sept. 13, 2024, at 4 p.m. the Cops for Kids Charity Ride is rolling into Kamloops, where it will stop at the 560 Battle Street detachment as part of its campaign to raise money to support local families and children. This year’s ride across south eastern British Columbia officially kicks off on Sept. 6 and will continue on through 20 communities before wrapping up Sept. 15.

In Kamloops, the community is invited to join those at the detachment as they greet the riders, enjoy some cake, conversation, and light refreshments.

The 2024 Cops for Kids’ Southeast District Team is made of 19 riders plus a support crew which includes RCMP officers, BC Sheriffs, Okanagan Correctional Centre officers, staff, board members, and civilian volunteers.

Our ride team is dedicated to helping the kids in the communities where they work and serve, said Julio Krenz, a retired Staff Sergeant Major and member of the Cops for Kids Board of Directors. For them, the hard work of the ride will be over in 10 days but for the kids we meet along the way, their journey to wellness is much longer. These riders chose a life of service in law enforcement, and being able to pedal across the region to raise money for children in crisis is just one more way that they are able to serve their communities.

Since it began in 2001, Cops for Kids has raised $6.5 million dollars, which translates into more than 3,000 children helped. In 2023, it received request for financial assistance from 448 kids, up from 334 the year prior.

Each request is reviewed on an individual basis by a grants committee, with supporting documentation required for validity.

It’s not always obvious who the children and families are in our community who are struggling and going through some really challenging times, said Superintendent Jeff Pelley of the Kamloops RCMP Detachment. By working closely with our partners including medical professionals and those within the school system, Cops for Kids is able to ensure it is helping the families who truly need it most, some of them, from within our very own community. We are excited and inspired to be one of the stops on the Cops for Kids tour throughout the southeast portion of our beautiful province.

Anyone who would like to show their support or make a last-minute donation is invited to attend the Kamloops RCMP Detachment at 560 Battle Street at 4 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2024, to welcome the riders to the city, have some cake, and share some refreshments.

To donate, please visit www.copsforkids.org or contact us at info@copsforkids.org.

Released by:

Email: crystal.evelyn@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: kamloops.rcmp.ca

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