Calgary motorcycle enthusiasts dress up in 'Sunday Best' to raise awareness for men's health
A group of Calgary motorcycle enthusiasts showed up in style Sunday, wearing their finest three-piece suits and vintage attire in an effort to raise money for men’s health.
After two years of disruption and social distancing, the 11th annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) was finally able bring more than 120 riders out for the fundraiser event.
Kickstands went up at 1 p.m. Sunday as the group of motorcyclist rode through the southeast community of Inglewood.
A little more than $20,000 was raised, with proceeds going to men’s prostate cancer research and suicide prevention, through the Movember Canada charity.
Deborah Kearns attended the event this year in memory of her late husband, Dave, who passed away from prostate cancer in 2019.
“Dave was heavily involved in motorcycling and this was a great cause that was dear to him, mostly because of mental awareness,” Kearns said.
“Dave did the ride four or five times before he had passed and the last one, he had brought his sidecar. He would be so impressed if he were still here, it would have meant the world to him.”
The DGR is an event held in more than 100 countries and 800 cities world-wide. It was created in Australia by Mark Hawwa, who wanted to combine his love for motorcycles and fashion with fundraising efforts.
In Calgary, event organizer Brian Smith says the awareness surrounding men’s health has grown substantially over the years.
“Prostate cancer is such a killer and we’ve also noticed that men have an extremely high suicide rate so we thought we should dedicate some of our fundraising to both of those causes and help men with their mental challenges,” he said.
“It’s become a pretty popular event because it’s so much fun, everybody dresses up, you get to show off and we always get a chance to meet each other through a social event at the end.”
More than 1,500 riders across Canada participated in this year’s event.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.