48-HOUR RIDE raises more than $2M for Make-A-Wish

48-HOUR RIDE
October, 2022

Over the course of 48 hours in mid-September, more than 1,700 cyclists, 300 volunteers and dozens of sponsors came together to support the largest in-person event that Make-A-Wish Canada has held since 2019, and in doing so, raised more than two million dollars.

“FedEx Canada is extremely proud to be a major sponsor of the 48-HOUR RIDE weekend’s events,” said Pina Starnino, VP of Operations for FedEx Canada, and Chapter Advisory Board member for Make-A-Wish in Quebec. “FedEx is committed to supporting the communities we serve by investing our time, resources, and network to make the places we live even better, and we know that the 48-HOUR RIDE did exactly that, helping to grant wishes to children who are living with critical illness, bringing joy to them, their families, and their communities.”

After the two-year hiatus, there was a feeling of homecoming for everyone involved in the event, and there was as much activity taking place off the track as there was on the tarmac.

  • The weekend kicked off with a VIP cocktail event
  • A children’s party was held onsite to create a true family feel during the weekend
  • On Saturday evening between eight and nine PM, all participants stopped what they were doing to come together for a celebration and a wish reveal for honorary president Aurélia, who learned that her wish to go to Walt Disney World was going to come true

“This is an event that—prior to COVID—has run every year since 2007,” explained Meaghan Stovel McKnight, CEO, Make-A-Wish Canada, “and to see the smiles on everyone’s faces as they showed up again in such a big way to support our mission felt really special. We have a substantial number of wishes waiting to be granted to children facing critical illness, and the 48-HOUR RIDE will contribute immensely to our goal of granting more wishes.”

The event could not have been possible without the additional support of YMX International Aerocity of Mirabel , Icar complex,  FedEx, Bilboquet, Keurig Dr. Pepper Canada, Agropur and all the incredible sponsors who helped to make the event a success.

With the 2022 fundraising efforts, more than $20 million has now been raised since the inception of the event.

“We’re already planning our 2023 event, and we look forward to seeing our sponsors and riders again next year,” said Stovel McKnight.

For more information about the 48-HOUR RIDE, visit https://www.48hourride.ca/