Noreen, MCCA Board member, and her very sweet 5 week old grandson. Youngest Relief Sale visitor!

Henry is either meditating or snoozing...not sure which.

Ernie Engbrecht, Phil Klassen and Abe Janzen, working through details of the Relief Sale auction.

John signing tshirts...great celebrity face!

Some MCCA staff and Cindy

Orlando Vasquez, (MCCA Program Director and Refugee Sponsorship Program supervisor), flashing the Take Your Place cd at the Relief Sale!

Auctioning off the Oringa that Joseph gave to me

The first auction item was a beaded meeting stick, or Oringa, that Joseph gave to me at the end of his year in Alberta. I spoke with Joseph on Thursday to get more details on what kind of symbolism the Oringa has among the Massai. He told me that the Oringa is a stick that has been beaded from the bottom to the top, with colourful glass beads, and is used in community gatherings and celebrations as a symbol of peace. The Oringa is never to be used in a meeting where conflict or violence may occur. If the Oringa is used for violence, then the glass beads will break. And when violence happens in a community, then the community begins to break. The chief holds the Oringa and greets and addresses the crowd, and the Oringa is a respected symbol of peace. The Oringa fetched $900 in the auction!

Cindy laughing after Abe cracked a joke about the Cindy Klassen quarter, with the Queen on one side, and Cindy on the other.

Cindy signing John's bike-a-thon tshirt.

Cindy and a young fan!

Some photos from the bike-a-thon and Relief Sale

Three generations of riders from the Schellenberg family, and Cindy...honourary Schellenberg!

Adam, Cindy and John

1451 kms were cycled by John and Adam, 90 of those with Cindy Klassen and about 60 others. A total of $181,000 raised for Cycle South for AIDS, and an additional $20, 130 raised through the bike-a-thon...grand total of $201,130 for MCC's Generations Program! What an amazing thing to be a part of and to celebrate!

Cycle South for AIDS, Cindy Klassen and the Coaldale Relief Sale

The perfect storm! After yesterday's stormy ride from Nanton to Lethbridge in up to 70 plus km winds and rain, today's ride from Lethbridge to Coaldale (11 km), and the following bike-a-thon routes of 10 km, 45 km, and 90 km, was a breeze! Add to that an Olympic gold medalist by the name of Cindy Klassen, an incredible Relief Sale with amazing auction items, food, and people, and today was the perfect storm! Cindy arrived in Coaldale around 11:00 am, to the delight of volunteers, MCCA staff, media and onlookers. Shaw TV, Global TV, and the Lethbridge Herald were all there, and interviewed Adam, John and Cindy. And then the pictures began with Cindy...over and over and over...and she is such a kind and gracious person and obliged anyone that approached her. She brought so much energy and excitement to the bike-a-thon and the sale. There were 62 riders today, and a total of $20,103 was raised! Add this to the $181,000 for Cycle South, and we are now at $201,130 for the Generations Program! Amazing!

So, this part of the journey comes to a close. It's kind of sad in a way. It has been a lot of fun being a part of the support driving team for Adam and John. Watching their determination riding through terrible head winds, rain, hills...up and down, and down and up...has been nothing short of inspiring. Their efforts have raised the profile of the crisis of AIDS, and MCC's work with partners worldwide. We are all so proud of them. It has been a privilege to be a part of this.

A heads up...there is talk that Cycle South for AIDS will be repeated next year, only it may become Cycle East for AIDS, from Alberta to Manitoba...and if we can work it around Cindy Klassen's schedule, then she will be joining the riders! Stay tuned! And thank you to everyone for reading the blog, for supporting Cycle South with good wishes, prayers, and donations. The money raised will make a huge difference in the lives of so many affected by AIDS. Our hope and prayer is that we will all take our place and do what we can, where we can, with what we have.

Kim