Menno Simons Christian School and MCCA Cycle South for AIDS

Day 10 was awesome! John, Adam, Abe and I (along with Iliana Friesen, Pholani Dlamini, Hun Ryu and Michael Harms...MCCA staff and IVEPers), met at Menno Simons school at 8:30 this morning. There was a 45 minute chapel with the junior high students and staff, focused entirely on MCC's work with HIV/AIDS, and the Cycle South for AIDS with John and Adam. Abe interviewed John and Adam, and Pholani (IVEPer at MCCA) for the students. We watched a really powerful 30 minute documentary called "Living With Slim," which focuses on 7 children/youth from different countries in Africa, who are all HIV+. Very compelling movie, and it gave the kids and staff a real sense of the urgency of raising awareness and money for HIV/AIDS. After the chapel we posed for some shots with the whole group, donned our helmets and set off on a 40 km ride on beautiful Calgary bike trails. A few delays along the way...rain, a minor bike accident, and a flat tire for Adam (first one in over 1000 kms)...thanks Anne and Iliana for saving the day!! We ended at Fish Creek Park in south Calgary, enjoyed a hot dog roast together, and then John and Adam continued on for an additional 76 kms, ending in Nanton, AB.

Tomorrow is a well deserved rest day for John and Adam. Both are very happy to NOT ride their bikes tomorrow. Thursday morning we drive out to Nanton, and then they hit the road one last time for Coaldale, about 135 kms.

The goal of raising $170,000 for MCC's Generations Program has been surpassed and is now over $176,000 and counting. A big, big shout out to Kennedy Krahn, a student at Menno Simons, who has been raising money and awareness for the Generations Program for the past few years! Today she presented us with yet another great donation...her savings from her piggy bank...$40.38...thank you Kennedy!!! Every single donation counts and makes a difference in people's lives around the world!

Kim