Ride Across Belize raises funds for Rockview

It’s the one institution in Belize that never seems to be short of cash. But that doesn’t mean the Social Security Board and its employees don’t engage in some extracurricular fundraising for a worthy cause.

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
After five and a half hours on the road, around eleven thirty this morning some thirty six riders completed the first leg of the Social Security Board?s Ride Across Belize 2006.

Ramon Figueroa, Dir, N.H.I., S.S.B.
?You can ride one mile, you can ride five minutes, you can ride and wait for us at the entrance of any one of the stages, you can join one stage, or all the stages, it?s a fun thing.?

Ride Across Belize was a staff initiative established three years ago and several employees, like Dr. Ramon Figueroa, have pedalled the pilgrimage every year.

Ramon Figueroa
?We came up with the idea, why don?t we do this? It?s fun and then raise funds for a worthy cause. And it just so happened that when we were planning it, we were having Social Security?s anniversary coming up and both things just mesh and we made a proposal to the board and they accepted it. Saying whatever we raised, they would match so that was something great and we decided to go with it. It?s increasing in success from year to year.?

Narda Garcia, C.E.O., Social Security Board
?I?m very proud of the staff of Social Security that they want to involve themselves with the society, contribute to society in a very meaningful way apart from the daily work that they do at the offices.?

This year, proceeds of event will benefit the Rockview Hospital at Mile twenty one on the Western Highway.

Narda Garcia
?We thought that, looking at the Rockview, our staff visited and looked at the conditions of the mental patients and thought it would be a good cause to assist a sector of our society that is marginalized to a certain extent, and the staff would want to go in and help. Not only by raising funds through the cycle ride but also because we want to involve staff to come in and clean, and paint and help, and sensitize them to helping others that are not so fortunate in society.?

Ramon Figueroa
?It?s getting popular, I know we?ve had some requests from a possible organizations that might be the recipient of the funds for next year, the Special Olympic Group. So, yes, we?re thinking ahead already. The trend is basically, one year we do it from Corozal to P.G., the next year P.G. to Corozal. I know that from doing it three years now, I know the one from P.G. to Corozal is quite difficult so we?ll think about that whether we want to do it from P.G. to Corozal but certainly we?ll do next year again.?

Day two of Ride Across Belize will take the pelathon from Belize City to San Ignacio. The third leg is expected to be the most challenging as riders travel from San Ignacio to Dangriga with a stop in Belmopan. Sunday’s ride is from Dangriga to Punta Gorda. All cycling starts at five in the morning in front of the respective S.S.B. branch offices in the districts. If you would prefer to donate dollars rather than sweat and tears, you can do so at the Belize Bank, account number 20012449.