Six-time Olympian Clara Hughes to ride her bike to 24 Atlantic communities across four provinces to talk about mental health with schools and community organizations
HALIFAX, Oct. 10, 2013 /CNW/ - Bell and Bell Aliant today announced the Official Route for Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk, the national bicycle tour around Canada by Clara Hughes in support of mental health. The ride, which starts March 14, 2014, spans 110 days over 12,000 kilometers, through all ten provinces and three territories. Clara will be visiting 95 communities across the country, including 24 in Atlantic Canada.
"I can't wait to ride to communities in every corner of the country, meeting Canadians where they live and talking to them about how together we can make a real and positive difference in the nation's mental health," said Clara. "From Saguenay to Saskatoon, Kuujjuaq to Cranbrook, Fredericton to Fort McPherson and everywhere in between, mental illness directly impacts 1 in 5 Canadians and affects all of us in some way. I'm looking forward to sharing stories with people in these communities and so many more as we fight the stigma around mental illness and drive awareness and action in mental health."
The Route
Beginning in Toronto, Clara's Big Ride heads east through Ontario and Quebec to Atlantic Canada. The Atlantic Canadian route begins in New Brunswick on April 5, followed by Prince Edward Island, moving along to Nova Scotia and then Newfoundland and Labrador before turning northwest across Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon. After crossing the Arctic Circle, Clara will head to Vancouver Island, and east through British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario before finishing in Ottawa on Canada Day, July 1, 2014.
View the Official Route Map and list of Atlantic communities.
"Clara's Big Ride will impact communities across Atlantic Canada for years to come. It is an inspiration that someone would take on such a journey to help keep the conversation going about mental health. It is because of people like Clara Hughes that change happens," said Maureen Bilerman, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Dots NB. "Dots NB is privileged to host Clara in Fredericton, NB and believes Clara's Big Ride is going to prove mental health is something that should be embraced and discussed, not silenced."
Share in the Ride
Everyone can participate in Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk through local community events and social media. For more information, please visit Bell.ca/ClarasBigRide or follow the latest news on Facebook at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk or on Twitter at @Bell_LetsTalk.
About Bell Aliant
Bell Aliant (TSX: BA) is one of North America's largest regional communications providers and the first company in Canada to cover an entire city with FTTH technology with its FibreOP services. Through its operating entities it serves customers in six Canadian provinces with innovative information, communication and technology services including voice, data, Internet, video and value-added business solutions. Bell Aliant's employees deliver the highest quality customer service, choice and convenience.
About Bell Let's Talk
The Bell Let's Talk mental health initiative is a national charitable program that promotes mental health across Canada with the Bell Let's Talk Day anti-stigma campaign and significant funding for community care, research and workplace best practices. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
SOURCE: Bell Aliant Inc.
Isabelle Boulet
Bell Aliant Corporate Affairs
1-877-799-6299
[email protected]
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