Bryce Forbes
A pair of friends from southern Ontario made a stop in Fort Frances on Sunday night as part of their cross-country bike trip to help raise funds for an orphanage in Mozambique.
Jamie Rooney and Ben Morrison, both from Waterloo, started their trek April 23 in Newfoundland.
They were to spend a rest day outside of Fort Frances, possibly canoeing on the lake, before continuing west.
“We are almost through Northwestern Ontario, and this is the first time we have gone through this part of our province and we are really impressed by the scenery and friendly people,” noted Rooney.
The duo stopped in Fort Frances thanks to a friendship wtih local resident Steven Craig.
The pair are a few days behind schedule but still hope to finish up in Vancouver in early August.
They have been biking about 150 km a day, then camping in a tent trailer at night.
Rooney estimates they’ve raised $10,000 so far, with their final goal being $15,000.
The money will be donated to the Canada World Youth organization, which then turns it over to Canadians helping in Mozambique (located in southeastern Africa).
Rooney got the idea of a cross-Canada fundraiser last year after spending three months in Mozambique as part of Canada World Youth.
“I worked at an orphanage there and when I was there, I called Ben and we wanted to explore Canada and raise money for this orphanage, so we thought up this idea of the bike ride,” he enthused.
“When I worked in the orphanage, along with nine other Canadians, there was a need for medical supplies, educational materials, that sort of thing,” Rooney noted.
“It was great to do on the ground work and work with the kids, but there was things we couldn’t offer because of our financial status.
“Over the next five years, there are nine Canadians going every year, so if we could send them with some money, they would be able to give that personal support as well as some of the necessary things that are needed,” he explained.
Anyone interested in donating money can visit bikingcanada.webs.com
