Firefighters Embark on 5th Annual Bike Pilgrimage from Hamilton to National Firefighters Memorial in Ottawa
Led by the Toronto Professional Firefighter Celtic Society, nearly 60 firefighters — including colleagues from Hamilton, Oakville, Markham, Whitby, Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal, and Stephenville, Newfoundland started out on their three-day cycling ride from Hamilton to Ottawa covering 575 kilometres — in wind, rain, or shine.
On the first leg of their journey, 56 riders cycled 200 kilometres starting in Hamilton at 8:45 a.m. and ending up at the Best Western Inn and Convention Centre in Cobourg shortly after 6 p.m.
Members of the Port Hope Fire Department met the group at Lakeshore Road in Port Hope escorting them to the Port Hope Fire Station on Ontario Street for a short rest before embarking on the last 20-minutes of their first day completing the day being welcomed by members of the Cobourg Fire Department.
Toronto firefighter David Cossitt, said when the ride started five years ago they had 13 riders and it’s grown to nearly 60 from across Canada.
The weather in September can vary drastically, but Cossittt said it was a hot day, so a lot of the firefighters who ranged in age from the early 20’s to mid 60’s were glad to see the hotel in Cobourg cheering as they wheeled in to the parking lot.
“We all know it’s worth it in the end to get to the memorial. We’re doing it for all those people who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
The purpose of the ride is to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation(CFFF), which hosts the annual National Firefighters Memorial (www.cfff.ca) to honour, remember and support the families of firefighters whose lives were lost in the line of duty.
This year’s Memorial takes place virtually on Sunday Sept. 12, 2021, at the Canadian Firefighters Memorial in Ottawa.
One Hundred and Twenty-Four names of the fallen will be sketched on the Memorial Wall this year, among those 1700 names already included of fallen firefighters from across Canada and the territories, dating back to the late 1800s.
The annual National Firefighters Memorial draws hundreds of firefighters from each of the provinces and territories who attend the ceremony in a show of solidarity and commemoration.
The ride ends in Ottawa on Friday, September 10th with the goal set at $50 000 for the CFFF.
Donate at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/Canadian-fallen-firefighters-foundation/p2p/2021_ride/
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
