Cyclists from around the area gathered to celebrate the life of their friend and to donate to the Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital Foundation.
The fifth annual Memorial Ride for Rick Meloche was held Saturday with cyclists able to choose 30 km, 50 km or longer rides. It started at the Libro Centre.
Darcy Haggith, who helped organize the event, said he knew Rick Meloche well and wanted to do the ride for his family.
“We do it for the Meloche family,” he said. “Rick was a big endurance athlete.”
Haggith said they want to support Rick’s wife Tammy and sons Beau and Steele.
Sponsors stepped up and allowed all proceeds to go to the HDGH Foundation. According to its website, the foundation said “This year’s funds will be dedicated to supporting the installation of the Trivel STNRY Health Station that was purchased with previous year’s funds. The Health Station has taken a little longer to finalize - the bike should be installed for the end of the year. Funds remaining will be allocated to HDGH Cardiac Wellness Program.”
“We rode a ton together,” said Haggith.
Meloche passed away suddenly in 2019 and Haggith said it was a shock to everyone.
“We were all surprised. He was so healthy,” said Haggith. “It was a huge loss. We couldn’t understand it. What it taught us was none of us are infallible.”
That spurred a desire to remind and educate the public about cardiac health. Not only it is about staying in shape, but people have to eat well.
The ride expects to raise about $5,000 this year, bringing the total to over $25,000. Many of the riders went to John R. Park Homestead and back to the Libro Centre.
The tagline for the ride was “Is this all you’ve got?,” a reference to the movie Forrest Gump and used by Meloche while riding during a storm.
About 80 people signed up this year and it took a $50 donation to ride.
“I’d like more people to know about cardiac health,” said Haggith.
For more information, please visit www.hdgh.org/rickmelocheride.
Rick Meloche Memorial Ride starts and ends in Amherstburg
By Ron Giofu
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