Hawaiian Ride for Youth riders, including members of the Arc teams, delivered stories and messages to the students, encouraging them to understand mental illness, note the signs and know where and how to get help.
Team mates rode from Albany to Perth, stopping to visit schools in Albany, Gnowangerup, Kojonup, Katanning, Wagin, Narrogin, Pinjarra and Mandurah to raise awareness about the services Youth Focus provides.
Rider and Arc team member Adam Sidebottom said the school visits aprovided the opportunity to discuss the important topic of asking for help.
“We lose more than one young Western Australian to suicide each week. That’s what motivated me, and I’m sure the rest of the team, to do the ride and be part of a solution to get young people talking about these things,” Mr Sidebottom said.
“We felt very welcome at the schools we visited throughout our ride and it was definitely a highlight to meet some incredible young people.”
Team members spoke about services such as school outreach programs and tele-counselling that are available to young people in the Wheatbelt.
The last day of the Ride saw each of the four riding groups (peletons) meet up in Mandurah before riding together to the finish line at Kings Park where they were met by their families and friends.
Mr Sidebottom said seeing his wife and children at the finish line with welcome home signs was a momentous occasion for him.
Not only did they suffer through long, hot and windy days on the Ride, but over the course of nine months, Arc’s 12 riders trained several times a week to prepare for the journey, with many 4am starts and weekend rides. T
he teams worked to raise almost $88,000 between them, well above the $60,000 target required to participate in the Ride.
As the Company’s fifth consecutive year as an official sponsor, the 12 member riding group was the largest number of riders from any single organisation, and the only team to be made up entirely of employees.
We’re so incredibly proud of the teams and their individual commitments to the cause. Arc would also like to extend a huge thank you to all of our employees and their families who either donated or helped out with the team’s car wash, sausage sizzle, dress up days and quiz night.
Media Contact:
Rebecca Keating
Corporate Affairs Advisor
Phone: 0439 277 980
Email: rebecca.keating@arcinfra.com
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