Exercise is good for mental health, and mental health and well-being can impact physical health: the two go hand-in-hand. As the World Health Organization notes, “…there is no health without mental health.”
What better cause for a healthy lifestyle event to support?
Spin the Lakes, an annual cycle tour heading into its thirteenth year, promotes cycling for the fun of it. “It’s not a race, it’s a ride for any level,” says organizer Jim Brendish. “(Riders) come out and enjoy the day in Muskoka.” About 80 per cent of Spin the Lakes riders come from outside the area. More than 700 participated in 2017.
Brendish read Olympic champion Clara Hughes’ book, Open Heart, Open Mind, a memoir which includes her mental health struggles, last winter. Not long after that, he was approached by the Muskoka-Parry Sound branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) for help with an event.
“I said, I have an event. Let’s get people on board,” says Brendish. “I thought it would be a good fit. I feel that everybody is touched by (mental health), it doesn’t matter who you are, in some capacity. Some people need more help than others.”
So this year, the not-for-profit ride focused on raising funds for the organization. Proceeds from registration, plus an option for riders to add an additional donation when they sign up, raised more than $9,000 for the cause. Brendish topped that up with proceeds from previous years to get to the $10,000 mark.
And he plans to continue the effort in the future. “We’re going to see if we can grow it and raise more money for the cause.”
Spin the Lakes is always held the last Saturday in May, with registration opening February 1. Riders choose one of four scenic routes – 20km, 58km, 105km or 165 km – that wind through Huntsville, Lake of Bays and Muskoka Lakes.
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