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
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.