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Ottawa Citizen

Community Builders: 57 Ride

For John Gomes, father of four and founder of the 57 Ride, the mission is simple: ride, raise hope and help families facing the unthinkable. Article content From June 12 to 14, Gomes and a small group of friends and fellow dads will cycle from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa — more than 450 kilometres — to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer. Article content Article content Named after a sentimental reminder of Gomes's late father, the 57 Ride supports two grassroots causes: the Phoebe Rose Rock Committee at the Kindred Foundation and the Griffin Bell Golden Endowment Fund at CHEO. Proceeds will go directly to helping families who must travel long distances for treatment and to funding critical research for hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Article content 'I have four healthy kids,' Gomes said. 'Why wouldn't I go do this? We've met these oncology families; their stories break your heart. This is how we help.' Article content The route, a three-day endurance challenge, will take riders from SickKids to Peterborough, on to Perth, and finally to CHEO for a celebratory lap. It's not a race; it's a show of solidarity. Article content 'It's me and a couple of close friends, supported by another buddy driving a 'blister bus,'' Gomes jokes about the Ford F150 from Lincoln Heights Ford. 'We're all fit dads in our 40s, and we can still do hard things,' Gomes adds. He will be joined by Jeff Delgado and James Van Toever, and Konrad Eyvindson will be on driving duty. Article content Article content He calls it a 'mom-and-pop lemonade stand' kind of event: local, personal and powered by community love. 'The world feels like it's on fire,' Gomes said. 'We're just trying to do something kind. That's where change starts, with your community.' Article content Article content Article content Article content