Sutton Group – Masters Realty Inc. entered a team of 29 bicyclists in Kingston’s Big Bike event on June 4, 2014. They raised an impressive $2,360 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. The team rode a massive 29-seater bicycle through pretty city streets to raise funds for the charity as well as to promote health and fitness. Each team member contributed a minimum of $50. The top fundraiser was Michelle Cifala, who collected $295.
“On this Big Bike ride through our downtown streets, the highlight was the support from people waving and cheering and drivers honking car horns,” says Michelle. She notes that Sutton Group – Masters Realty Inc. was the only real estate company in Kingston to enter a team in this year’s Big Bike event.
“Thank you to all the Sutton REALTORS® who participated or donated to this great cause.”
In 2013, more than 65,000 Canadians in over 200 communities participated in the Big Bike event raising $8.4 million for research. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, nine out of 10 Canadians have risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
Proceeds of Big Bike help to fund important innovations. For example, with the charity’s financial backing, researchers pioneered the use of tPA, a blood clot-busting drug, as the most effective ischemic stroke treatment. If administered soon after the onset of symptoms, tPA helps restore blood flow and oxygen to the brain, acting quickly to undo damage.
Participants such as those from Sutton Group – Masters Realty Inc. also help to raise awareness about preventing illness. The event educates people about lifestyle risks, how to recognize the signs of a stroke and more.
This story was adapted – with permission – from one originally featured on the Sutton Spirit website. The Sutton Spirit program recognizes Sutton associates across Canada that improve and enhance the lives of the people around them.
