Journey for Julie charity ride commemorates death of ride creator’s 4-year-old daughter and will create awareness and raise funds for Meningitis Research Foundation. Journey also marks beginning of OSVS free service to non-profit causes.
Vancouver BC (PRWEB) July 28, 2005 –- On Thursday, July 21, Greg Kotlowski and his buddy mounted their bicycles in Crescent Beach, BC, a suburb of Vancouver, and headed out on a 125 km journey to Hope, BC. But that was just the first leg of “Journey for Julie,” a 45-day, 6,100 km bicycle trip across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax, NS. The journey is a tribute to Greg’s daughter, Julie, who died tragically of meningitis in Halifax in 1994, at the age of only four.
Journey for Julie is also a national awareness campaign in support of the Meningitis Foundation of Canada, which helps fund meningitis research and educates Canadians about the disease – especially the role of vaccinations in preventing it. No vaccinations were available to save Julie’s life in 1984, but now there are several different ones that protect against most – but not all – types and sources of meningitis.
And that is something that has haunted Greg for all the years since his daughter died.
"All the pain we've suffered will be worth it if [this ride helps prevent one case, or makes one person aware of this horrible disease. I’m determined to bring some good out of this tragedy,” said Kotlowski.
So, perhaps most importantly of all, Journey for Julie is also journey of healing for Greg, who has spent 20 years coming to terms with the loss of his daughter and the devastating effect it had on his family. His companion on the ride is not just his biking buddy, but also his boss, Ross McCann, owner of Weatherguard Gutters & Exteriors, where Greg works as a construction supervisor. Ross says he is behind this ride and the cause 100 per cent.
To help launch their cross-country ride, One Stop Voice Shop (OSVS) provided free services to create public service announcements and place them on local radio stations. Ross Huguet, president of OSVS, provided the voice overs and says it’s a small way to give something back to the community. “This was something we just had to do because we have both the voice talent and resources to do it. This is a new thing for us, but we’re going to continue helping other good causes as often as we can – once a month at least.” If you want to follow Greg’s and Russ’s progress across Canada, visit their website at www.journeyforjulie.ca.
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