Students at Bellerose Composite High School in St. Albert are participating in the Bellerose Bikeathon in support of cancer research. The students will ride on stationary bikes for 48 hours straight to raise money for the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Kids with Cancer Society.
Students from grades ten to 12 have formed teams for the annual event and each student will bike in one hour shifts. All of the students must attend every one of their classes over both days of the event. Most of the high school student body participates in the Bikeathon, which is a far cry from the first one, 15 years ago.
“It’s definitely come a long way,” says Kelly Lajoie, one of the event organizers. “Our Bikeathon started 15 years ago with eight kids riding on the back of the stage.”
“It’s almost like a right of passage if you go to Bellerose to be in the Bikeathon,” adds student Dylan Lindsay.
The students are well prepared for the event. They have video games and movies playing to entertain themselves. The kids also have coolers filled with food and drinks to keep them going over the 48 hours of the Bikeathon.
There are also trivia games and contests during the Bikeathon to keep the kids sharp and engaged. The games include prizes for the participants.
This year’s goal is to raise over $100,000 between the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Kids with Cancer society in support of cancer research. The event wraps up with a closing ceremony at noon on Friday.
