If you live in the United States please click this link to make your donation through NCF.
The Lake2Lake Ride for Rwanda is a key event in raising support for the development of quality education for Rwandan children. Over the past two decades, Rwanda has made tremendous gains in social and economic reform with plans to become a middle-income country by 2035. The key to unity and sustained growth for families and children is rooted in quality values-based education. Education will empower future generations and ensure every person is treated with justice, dignity and worth!
To enable this change, The Wellspring Foundation for Education began Lake2Lake as a 2-day cycling event in BC's Okanagan over 10 years ago and has grown to multiple locations. We are aiming to raise $120,000 through this year's events.
This year, there are three ways to become involved:
On the weekend of September 16-17, you can get active individually or as a team to support Wellspring at either...
1. Our traditional two-day BC Okanagan Lake2Lake ride - A group of cyclists are tackling the traditional 200km, fully supported Lake2Lake route between Vernon and Eagle Bay on September 17-18th. Stay overnight at beautiful Eagle Bay Camp and connect with fellow riders.
2. A one-day Lake2Lake ride in Ontario - Choose to ride whatever distance you want along the Brantford rail trail starting and ending at Port Dover (5 - 30 km) OR join a peloton of road cyclists for a supported 85 km ride from Hamilton to Port Dover. Either way, invite your friends and family for refreshments and BBQ following the ride at Silver Lake Lions Park in Port Dover!
3. Or participate virtually
-
wherever you are! Choose an activity AND set a
fundraising goal that both excites and challenges you. This could
include cycling, running, hiking, swimming, or however else you move
- even riding your e-bike or motorcycle. (Ticket price: $0)
Wherever you choose to participate, share your Lake2Lake adventures with your friends and family, rallying their support. As you get active in your local community, be inspired by the fact that you are part of a bigger global movement to support quality education around the world!
See the 'Map and Directions' tab for more information.
Registration
Registration is open from March 1st - September 2nd. We encourage everyone to set their own fundraising goal - as a group, we are aiming to raise $120,000. Please ensure you proceed to payment to complete your registration.
- You have until midnight PST on September 30 to collect donations via your personal fundraising page, or to submit cheque/cash donations to Wellspring.
- If you have any questions during or after the registration process, please visit our FAQ page or email sarah@lake2lake.org.
Fundraisers
Teams
Highlights
See all activity421What if I don’t have a bike?
Then our 3rd option this year is for you! You may not be able to attend our in-person rides in BC or Ontario, but you can still take on your favourite physical activity while raising funds and awareness for the work of Wellspring. Simply choose our virtual option when you register, and let us know your activity of choice!
Is this a race?
No. Our Lake2Lake events are non-competitive.
How can my family be involved?
We're so glad you want to participate as a family! Whichever
option is of interest to your family – riding or volunteering at our
BC event, riding in Southern Ontario, or getting active in your own
neighbourhood – you can sign family members up individually and then
form a team of up to 6 members. And then it's time to train and
fundraise together!
Should I still fundraise if I’m not confident I can hit my
fundraising goal?
Of course! Don’t let the minimum fundraising goal keep you from
signing up. And don’t worry if you don’t hit it – just do what you
can. You’ll be surprised by the generosity of your family &
friends when they hear about the great work you’re supporting. By
fundraising, you are contributing to the quality education of over
195,000 children in Rwanda, as well as the development of their
teachers, school leaders, and wider communities. Every dollar makes
a difference!
What if I can’t participate on the weekend of September 16-17?
No worries! Thanks to our virtual option, you can take on a
physical challenge to raise funds for Wellspring's work at a time
that works for you – over a weekend, a day, or even just over a few
hours. The choice is yours!
Are there any restrictions on fundraising rules or ideas?
Currently we have no rules regarding fundraising; we only ask
that you raise funds in a legal and ethical way. Once you register
as an individual or team, you will receive a set of emails to help
you set up your fundraising page and provide you with ideas and
strategies for making your fundraising experience fun and
successful. Many Canadian companies support charities through a
range of corporate giving initiatives, which are often part of their
commitment to being socially responsible organizations. If you work
for a company that donates towards your fundraising goal, let us
know. We can send you a Wellspring logo to forward on to the company
to proudly display on its social media site(s) or website, showing
its commitment to being supportive of socially responsible,
sustainable initiatives like
The
Wellspring Foundation for Education
.
When will tax receipts be sent out for donations?
For Canadian donors, tax receipts will be issued at the end of
the calendar year by mail or email. A receipt may be specifically
requested before then by emailing barb@thewellspringfoundation.org.
I’m not a road cyclist but I do ride an e-bike. Can I ride
my e-bike for Lake2Lake?
Absolutely! Lake2Lake is a ride, not a race. The goal is to
raise funds for Wellspring while having a great time getting active.
You are welcome to ride your e-bike.
How do I purchase this year’s Lake2Lake Cycling Jersey?
We
will be offering a
2022 Cycling Jersey this year! Please send your request to
sarah@lake2lake.org and we will be happy to help you.
Do you need volunteers?
Yes! Our volunteer Lake2Lake Crew make our events possible and
we’d love to have you join us. At our BC ride, there are many ways
that you can get involved. You can join us for the whole weekend,
just one day, or even a few hours. It’s a wonderful weekend of fun
and camaraderie, and all for a great cause–we’d so appreciate you
sharing your time and talent with us. If you’d like more information
about volunteering at the BC ride please send an email to louise@thewellspringfoundation.org
If you’d like more information about how you can help out at our Ontario event please contact, sharon@thewellspringfoundation.org .
If I still have a question and can’t find it on the website,
who should I contact?
Please send any other
questions to sarah@lake2lake.org!
Map & Directions for the in-person BC and Ontario Ride
BC Ride - Day 1: | BC Ride - Day 2 | SWAN LAKE TO EAGLE BAY CAMP, 110 KMRide Start: Vernon Christian School, 6920 Pleasant Valley Road, Vernon Ride Finish: Eagle Bay Camp 5055, Eagle Bay Road, Eagle Bay View route on Strava | EAGLE BAY CAMP TO SWAN LAKE, 100 KMRide Start: Eagle Bay Camp, 5055 Eagle Bay Road, Eagle Bay Ride Finish: Vernon Christian School, 6920 Pleasant Valley Road, Vernon View route on Strava |
Ontario Ride
Whichever route you choose, you can join us for a BBQ to finish off your ride from 12:30-2pm at Silver Lake Lions Park. Friends and family welcome!
Option 1: Beautiful Rail Trail
Register for a ride or walk on the Brantford Rail Trail (starting at in Port Dover).
Enjoy an easy ride or walk through woods and farmer’s fields on this flat rail trail. Starting in Port Dover at Silver Lake Lions Park, you can choose the distance that suits you and your group. The trail has paved and hard packed gravel sections and is most suitable for mountain or crossover bikes, though several successfully rode the trail on road bikes in 2021.
Staggered send offs at Silver Lake Lions Park @ 9am and 10am.
Choose your distance!
Port Dover to Waterford and back - 45 km round trip (rest stops in Simcoe and Waterford),
Port Dover to Simcoe and back - 22 km round trip (rest stops in Simcoe only),
Or anywhere in between! See the map here.
Following the ride, return to Silver Lake Lions Park for a BBQ and refreshments. Family and friends are welcome!
Option 2: A scenic road route from Lake to Lake
Register for an 85 km road ride that is truly Lake to Lake! Join a peloton of road riders and cycle from Lake Ontario (Hamilton) to Lake Erie (Port Dover) on a scenic journey that starts with a climb up the Hamilton escarpment and continues along country roads with paved shoulders for a total one-way route of approximately 85 kms.
This ride starts early! Meet the group at the Waterfront Trail Parking lot at Confederation Park at 7:30 am and plan to be in Port Dover for noon.
There will be stops along the way to rest up, use washrooms and refuel. We will have experienced road riders leading the group and a support team available to help in case of breakdowns or in the event of an emergency.
Wellspring will provide free return transportation for both riders and bikes to the starting point if desired. (departing Port Dover after the BBQ at 2 pm). Confirmation will be required closer to the event.
