The Bendigo Bank Charity Bike Ride

The Bendigo Bank Charity Bike Ride- Sri Lanka commenced on the 24th of October, 2016 and was completed on the 29th of October, 2016. The objective of the ride was to raise funds and awareness for the Foundation of Goodness and provide the riders with a personal development experience.

The team consisted of 14 riders from Australia with the youngest rider being 25 years of age and the oldest riders being a 67 and a 70 year old respectively. The team rode over 300 km from Jaffna (North of Sri Lanka) to Seenigama (South of Sri Lanka) over a 6 day period. Several riders were customers and staff of Bendigo Bank and also from the OYOB Property Group in Australia- all determined to achieve a common objective. Planning and preparation over a 12 month period, the team organised several fundraising events in Melbourne and also raised funds via online donations.

The major fundraising event “Showcasing Sri Lankan Culture” was held on the 01st of July at the Box Hill Town Hall. The event was sponsored by Bendigo Bank, Emirates and Travel Glen and over 300 guests attended the event and enjoyed a night of entertainment of Sri Lankan dancing and music followed by a traditional Sri Lankan dinner.

The fundraising goal was to raise $30,000 AUD and the team was able to surpass this goal and raise $37,000 AUD. Funds raised enabled the Foundation of Goodness to provide 100 bicycles to the underprivileged children of the North so they had a means of transport to school. The 14 riders had the privilege of personally gifting a bicycle to a child. The remainder of the funds will be used towards the primary and secondary education costs of children within rural communities.

The Bendigo Bank Charity Bike Ride enabled the riders to raise funds for a very worthy cause and personally see the smiles on the children’s faces when they received the bicycles. It also provided an opportunity of reflection and personal development for the riders beyond expectation.

“The ride as expected was very physically stressful, but what caught me off guard was the mental aspect of the challenge,” said one rider, “I realised that life too will throw me challenges and that everything happens for a reason and that we go through different phases in our life which ultimately make us stronger”.

Whilst another rider who had joined the group added, “I thank God every day for bringing me into this world, for giving me personality, blessing me with knowledge, health and wealth and for bringing beautiful people into my world. I have been blessed with an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, the recipients of the families of the bikes are close to my heart and I dedicate the ride to all those that have sponsored me”.

Thank you Bendigo Bank Charity Bike Ride Team for this truly noble effort to uplift the lives of rural villagers and bring a smile to their faces.

08th November 2016