4 grandfathers pedal through Calgary during fundraising ride across Canada for wells in Africa
A bike ride of 10,000 kilometres, scheduled to last 65 days to raise funds for 65 water wells in Africa, rolled through Calgary Thursday.
Estimates are that 785 million people on this planet do not currently have access to clean water and, on average, a person dies every 90 seconds from a preventable water-related disease.
"We are grandfathers," said cyclist Mike Woodard, "It would break our hearts to have to watch one of them die. We just thought, lets make a difference in the lives of people in villages in Africa."
The ride — which is carving a path across Canada from the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean — has encountered numerous challenges to this point, but the motivation is strong to keep the team rolling on.
"Like today, when you’re riding through the rain, you think this is hard," Woodard told CTV News. "This is hard, but it would be a lot harder to watch your children die if they didn’t have clean water."
The group says a donation of $8.50 can help provide clean water for a person for a lifetime. Each well that is drilled services about 1,000 people and it costs about $8,500 to drill a well.
Donations are being accepted at Cycling 4 Water. The website also offers updates on the group's progress.
The team of cyclists are raising funds in partnership with the Global Aid Network (GAiN).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Canada issues travel warning as Hurricane Beryl tears through region
As Hurricane Beryl rips toward the southeast Caribbean, Global Affairs Canada is warning travellers to avoid non-essential travel to Jamaica as well as several countries in the region.
Tracking Hurricane Beryl: Deadly storm roars toward Jamaica
Hurricane Beryl was roaring toward Jamaica on Wednesday, with islanders scrambling to make preparations after the powerful Category 4 storm earlier killed at least six people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean.
Video shows the scale of Hurricane Beryl as seen from space
Video captured from the International Space Station earlier this week shows the size of Hurricane Beryl as it churned over the Caribbean.
Ontario man suffers cardiac arrest in Florida. This is why insurance won't cover his $620,000 hospital bill
An Ontario man who wanted to spend time with his family in Florida was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac arrest at the airport as he was about to fly back to Canada.
Thousands of heat pumps recalled over risk of 'excessive heat exposure'
Health Canada is recalling thousands of popular heat pumps across the country due to a potential risk of 'excessive heat exposure.'
opinion Are financial advisors just glorified salespeople?
Financial advisors can be an excellent resource for busy consumers, but recent allegations against employees of major Canadian banks have raised questions about the integrity of financial advice. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew addresses some of these concerns and highlights the distinction between unethical practices and the genuine value that good advisors can offer.
DEVELOPING Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan named chief of the defence staff, first woman to hold CAF's top job
The federal government says it is naming Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan as defence chief, making her the first woman to hold the Canadian Armed Forces' top job.
Delta flight diverts to New York after passengers are served spoiled food
A Delta flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was diverted to New York's Kennedy Airport on Wednesday after passengers were served spoiled food, airline officials said.
As hurricane approaches, London, Ont., newlyweds stranded in Jamaica due to WestJet strike
Newlyweds from London, Ont., are trapped in Jamaica, as Category 5 Hurricane Beryl approaches.