YMCA hosting ride to support fee assistance program

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 6, 2024.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

A special event on Saturday is being staged by the YMCA of Lethbridge to support its Shape [Y]our Future Campaign.

The fourth annual Len Herring Legacy Ride, a leisurely bicycle ride through west Lethbridge neighbourhoods will be staged by the YMCA. Two bicycle routes will start at the Cor Van Raay YMCA south parking lot and follow bike-friendly, safe paths.

A celebratory barbecue is being staged afterwards.

Entry is $50 and participants don’t have to be Y members. Registration begins at 9 a.m.

The ride was established in 2021 and the YMCA says it “has been a testament to the Herring family’s generosity. Their contributions have enabled hundreds of local children and families to access YMCA fee assistance memberships and programs, fostering healthy lifestyles and a sense of belonging.”

Manager of Philanthropy Pam Haapa-aho said on Thursday that Len Herring’s wife Bev and family asked that the organization start the ride just after he died in October of 2020, the family which have been generous donors to the Shape [Y]our Future Campaign.’

The Len and Bev Herring Studio at the YMCA, which was established in 2019, reflects the lasting impact of their contributions.

The fee assistance program helps people with financial barriers feel a sense of belonging or that they have a safe place to go.

“It’s a really important program. It follows our mission, it’s not just a Y Lethbridge but it’s a YMCA globally kind of mission,” she said.

The YMCA has been in Lethbridge since 1905 and Haapa-aho says “for us to continue to be here for our community, we need to obviously to build sustainability” to continue providing its services.

Legacy is important to the Y, “whether it’s planned giving, bequests, donating annually or just supporting in some way” and that helps the organization continue to do its work in the community, she said.

“So that was kind of the basis for this event. To share the fact that the YMCA is a charity and we are here but we can’t be here without that kind of long sustainable support, Haapa-aho added.

The bike ride is recreational, she said, noting it’s not timed or a race. After they finish, they can meet Len’s family at the barbecue. People don’t have to ride to support the campaign, either. They can simply make a donation and enjoy the festivities.

Riders go at their own pace on the ride, enjoying time with family or friends as they explore westside neighbourhoods on the routes.

Herring rode his bike everywhere, said Haapa-aho. “He loved it, he enjoyed it and we just want people to also enjoy the communities around the westside while they ride their bike and support a great cause.”