RCMP to ride all night long for Special Olympics

Bike riders, police escorts, and organizers from Wood Buffalo RCMP, Peace River RCMP, and Alberta Sheriffs team up for an ambitious 24-hour, 435-kilometre bike ride in support of Special Olympics Alberta. Photo supplied by the RCMP.

Members of the Wood Buffalo RCMP embarked on a special journey today.

Riders and organizers from Wood Buffalo RCMP, along with Peace River RCMP and Alberta Sheriffs rode out of Fort McMurray on a 24-hour bike ride to Edmonton.

The 16-member team along with four police escorts hit the road today at 12 noon on their 435-kilometre journey.

The ride is in support of the Wood Buffalo for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Ride for Special Olympics.

They raised $20,000 in monetary donations, as well as another $20,000 in gift-in-kind donations from generous members of the community.

That’s a grand total of $40,000.

Police say these funds will go to Special Olympics Alberta.

The organization supports over 3000 athletes from at least 100 communities in the province.

The team should arrive in Edmonton early tomorrow June 8, 2019, with local Special Olympics athletes to greet them.

This annual event also includes police services and RCMP from Calgary, Lethbridge, and Taber.