RIPLEY local Jamie McCrea is preparing for the ride of a lifetime as he sets out to raise funds for children battling cancer.
On September 20, Jamie will saddle up his horse, Nellie, and begin a charity trek along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail in support of Camp Quality, an organisation dedicated to supporting kids facing cancer.
Mr McCrea said the idea came from wanting to shine a light on childhood cancer, which he feels often receives less attention than adult cancer causes.
“You see a lot of fundraisers for adult cancers – heart disease, bowel cancer, that sort of thing – but not as much for kids,” he said.
“My uncle, who’s riding with me, is a bowel cancer survivor, so this cause is close to our hearts.
“The purple ribbon we’re using represents all cancers.”
The charity ride will start at Wulkuraka and cover the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, with Jamie hoping to be joined by other riders along the journey.
“My uncle’s coming down from Darwin to join me, and a few other people are interested, but we’re still locking in numbers,” he said.
“We’ve set August 20 as the cut-off date for anyone wanting to join the ride.”
In addition to collecting donations along the route, Jamie has set up several fundraisers, including a raffle and a “guess the number of lollies in the jar” competition for kids.
Donations can be made via the event’s Ride 4 A Cure Facebook page, where supporters can scan a QR code to contribute, or give directly during the ride.
Adding a special touch, a Camp Quality representative will join Jamie for the first leg of the journey.
“I’m not sure how she’s going to do it as she won’t be on horseback, but it’ll be great to have her there,” he said.
Jamie’s horse, Nellie, an ex-trotter, will be his trusted companion for the trek. He describes her as steady and reliable – just what’s needed for the long ride ahead.
