The Iron Horse Trail near Lindbergh is sporting a brand new sign that was installed just in time for National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, April 19-25th, 2015, and marks the corner where participants will head north to Lindbergh to saddle up for the upcoming 5th Annual Second Chance Trail Ride on Saturday, May 14.
Reading ‘2nd Chance Trail Ride, Supporting Organ and Tissue Donation,’ the sign is bright green, the same colour as the ribbons that an estimated 300 riders will wear in the fundraising ride from Lindbergh to Heinsburg.
The driver of the wagon portrayed on the sign is Morris Irvine, who makes his home in Lindbergh and who, after receiving a double-transplant six years ago, joined other transplant recipients in finding a way to express their appreciation to the donor families and the transplant staff. Since most of them lived in the country and had horses, “a trail ride just made sense,” Irvine says. The first ride was held in May 2012 and was such a success that it has been repeated annually, growing every year.
Last year, the ride was a huge success, with 261 riders on horseback or in wagons, and raised $70,000. Those proceeds went toward maintaining the two apartments for transplant patients through the GoodHearts Foundation and toward the creation of signs to raise awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation. Just last week, five transplant recipients from 2nd Chance traveled to Edmonton to present a new treadmill for the use of transplant patients to the University of Alberta Hospital. Tom Matthews, one of four double-lung recipients in the group, told Global News that, “Between the four of us, we probably wore out one of these here in the gym. It’s good to give back.”
Funds raised at this year’s ride will be split 50-20-20-10 with the GoodHearts Foundation receiving the largest share to continue their apartment project. Twenty per cent will go toward the signage campaign, 20 per cent toward individuals going through the transplant process whose families need financial help with parking passes, gasoline and other expenses incurred while they are away from home with a transplant patient. The remainder of the proceeds will be seed money for next year’s event.
Participants can pre-register at the Lindbergh staging area on Friday, May 13 from 6 to 8 p.m., with registration on Saturday, May 14 to begin at 8:30 a.m. The riders will be heading down the trail at 11 a.m. and stopping at Middle Creek for lunch on their way to Heinsburg. A supper, live and silent auctions and a dance with a live band will wrap up the day’s activities.
More details and pledge sheets are available on the GoodHearts Foundation website and on the 2nd Chance Trail Ride Facebook page.
