August 4th - 9th, 2025 CHARITY EVENT 1000km. 6 Days. One Mission.
Great Lakes Ride is a charity ride covering 1000km raising funds for Children's Health Foundation in London, Ontario.
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About Us
What is the Great Lakes Ride.
Great Lakes Ride is an event to raise money for Children's Health Foundation in London, Ontario. It will cover 1000KM in 6 days starting and ending at Children's Hospital - London Health Sciences Centre.
This ride consists of 5 Centuries and 1 Metric. The longest day being 224km on day 2, and the shortest of 108km on day 4. We will be visiting the communities of Kincardine, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Oakville, Niagara Falls, Simcoe, London, and many in between.
We are a group of passionate cyclists that want to help in a way we know how. With the generosity of every donation we are confident we all can make a huge difference in the lives of these kids.
Why we ride
A Worthy Cause
Children’s Health Foundation believes that children and their families in Western Ontario deserve the best possible care and the most possible hope when faced with a serious health issue.
That is why we are calling on caring people to help strengthen and transform the health care experience in our region. Your generosity will fund cutting-edge equipment, care-enhancing programs and ground-breaking paediatric research at Children’s Hospital in London, TVCC and Children’s Health Research Institute.
You can ensure better childhoods for kids facing challenges and serious health issues and hope, relief and support for those who love them.
The best care for children who are ill, close to home – that is the thought that launched the legacy of Children’s Health Foundation.
Established in 1922, Children’s Health Foundation impacts more than 66,000 children each year, across Western Ontario, from Windsor to London and Kitchener-Waterloo, and up north to Thunder Bay and beyond.
Our Foundation is proud to create lasting change through support of three outstanding partners in health care: Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, TVCC and Children’s Health Research Institute.
Hand-in-hand with our donors, we are strengthening and transforming paediatric health care for London and our region. Because every child deserves the best chance to overcome sickness and discover what they’re uniquely capable of achieving.
We all want our loved ones to thrive. That’s why your support of Children’s Health Foundation is so important.
2024 DONATIONS
$22,195
THANK YOU!
Together we are making a difference
in the lives of these kids
If you would rather donate with cash or cheque
Cash
You can give your donation to any of our riders or drop it off at
Ellis Home Hardware in Milverton and
Van Allen Insurance in Listowel.
Cheque
If you would like to donate by cheque please make payable to Children's Health Foundation with
"GREAT LAKES RIDE"
on the memo line. You can mail to:
Attn: Jennifer Baxter
Children's Health Foundation
345 Westminister Ave.
London, ON N6C 4V3
DO YOU WANT TO JOIN AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
REGISTRATION FOR 2025 WILL BE OPENING IN APRIL
This is a supported ride. We have support vehicles to carry luggage and all your nutrition along with a SAG to help if needed. Accommodations will be at hotels double occupancy booked through the ride organizers and payment is the responsibility of each rider prior to the ride start date of approximately $550. Snacks and lunches are provided by GLR. We are committed to keep the cost of the ride solely on the riders and our sponsors. This allows 100% of donations to go to Children's Health Foundation.
Personal nutrition and hydration will be provided by the rider and can be transported in our support vehicles. There will be a limited supply of nutrition and hydration supplied by GLR in lieu of extreme weather or other circumstances. You will only need to carry enough hydration and energy/nutrition for 34-50km.
Supper for each day is planned by the majority of the group, and can be organized the day of. Riders are responsible to pay for their suppers. Lunches and snacks through the day are provided by GLR.
This is a very intense 6 days of riding, consisting of 5 Centuries and 1 Metric. It requires a ton of training, and both physical and mental discipline. The routes are pre mapped but things happen and they may change the day of the ride. Most of the routes are paved roads, but there are a few sections that may be gravel roads. Nothing a road bike can't handle.
We recommend that you have at least 2,000km in before the ride and a few Centuries as well. You must be familiar, comfortable, and confident with your nutrition. We ask that you keep your packing to 2 bags plus a bag or tote for your nutrition. You will need to pack cycling kits for cool, wet, and hot weather conditions. It is our experience that evening outfits can be packed light. They're only worn for a few hours in the evening and can be re-worn. We won't judge.
We are representing Great Lakes Ride, and most importantly Children's Health Foundation. We need to be respectful to other cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. A large majority of rest stops will be at public parks so we need to share with everyone using these spaces.
Any questions please ask. A ride like this sounds very intimidating but with the proper training, anything is possible. This is a week of fun. We stop to take pictures and take it all in.
Bottom line. We are doing this for the kids. They're the reason why we ride.
GOOGLE MAP AND STRAVA 2025 ROUTES
London to Kincardine 181km
Kincardine to Collingwood 224km
Kincardine to Collingwood 224km
Kincardine to Collingwood 224km
Kincardine to Collingwood 224km
Kincardine to Collingwood 224km
