Guru Nanak Free Kitchen's Annual Bike-a-thon and Walk-a-thon Help Fund Extended Food Service to Vulnerable.

It's early morning on July 14th. Cyclists are gathering at the Sukh Sagar Gurdwara in Queensborough, New Westminster. They are readying themselves and their bicycles for a one-hundred-kilometre ride. It will take them to Steveston, around the airport and on to Iona Beach where they will have lunch and then take the long ride back.

They will be the first of four groups to leave - two bike-a-thons and two walk-athons. The bike-a-thons are for 100 kilometres and 60 kilometres. The walk-a-thons are 10 and 5 kilometres long.

Participants are raising funds for a beloved charity in the Lower Mainland, Guru Nanak Free Kitchen. 'Love all, Feed all', is its slogan, in keeping with the Sikh tradition of feeding people in need.

Guru Nanak Free Kitchen needs funds to greatly extend its service in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside where many vulnerable people live. They expect to make over $70,000 today. Currently, they feed a thousand people there every weekend – now they want to provide food during the week too.

60 volunteers are making this event a success, including ride marshals, first aid people, and food reps – some of that done by volunteers from the Gurdwara- set up along the way to help with water delivery and more. All the participants come back to some delicious food served at the Gurdwara including New Westminster's Mayor, Patrick Johnstone, who completed the 100k ride.

Guru Nanak is an organization completely made up of volunteers and is known for providing food to people in the Lower Mainland when there is a crisis such as during the flood in the Chilliwack Abbotsford area.

Susan Millar, LJI Journalist