Humber Polytechnic’s Fitness and Health Promotions program raised funds for the Daily Food Bank through its annual cycling event, Frost and Forward.
Second-year Fitness and Health Promotion student and Frost and Forward organizer, Gebre Byrnes, said they are “hoping to raise $1,000” from this event.
“Honestly, we’re just hoping to raise money for families and anyone who is in need,” he said.
This year, the Fitness and Health Promotions partnered with Daily Bread to support people struggling with food insecurity.
According to the Daily Bread’s Who’s Hungry report, more people rely on food banks more frequently and for longer periods of time because of a deepened hunger crisis.
Aside from the cycling event, Byrnes said they also held a bake sale on Nov. 18 to raise funds.
“We’ve actually just had our free event, which is a bake sale,” he said. “We raised about $600 at that one event, so I think we’re hoping to raise around $1,000.”
Byrnes said everyone is welcome, even if they don’t have anything to donate. However, they need to donate to join a team.
“We just want everyone who comes to have a good time, have fun,” he said.
Frost and Forward participant Ashlyn Brace said that although she only donated $5, the energy level at this event will get people interested in donating and hearing about the cause.
“The amount of energy you bring will get other people to come and participate,” Brace said. “And if they don’t do it [donate] today, they can do it another day.”
The Frost and Forward wasn’t just a serious cycling challenge. It was an event filled with good vibes and high energy, keeping the participants’ energy high until the end.
“I just love how everybody got up on the front and danced,"Brace said. "Like, I didn’t feel like I was at a normal cycling class. I felt like I was at a party.”
Humber’s Fitness and Health Promotions’ graduate Jay Rosal said this was his second time being an instructor for Humber’s cycle challenge.
“I was the MC when I was in school, but last year they had me here for being an instructor, so this is my second time doing it, and I love it,” he said.
Rosal said he’s passionate about cycling, and as an energetic and extroverted person, he likes to keep it that way when he teaches.
“If you’re passionate about doing stuff, it comes easy. So the energy is already there,” Rosal said.
He also said his coaching experience made it easier for him to pick up the participants’ energy.
“If I show any fatigue, they’re going to be like, okay, he’s tired, I’m going to be tired,” he said. “But if I show that I’m having fun, and that the energy is up, then they’re more inclined to also keep that energy up.”
As of press time, the Daily Bread Food Bank’s campaign page for Frost and Forward reported $1,821.79 had been raised.
