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Watch for cyclist raising funds for Alzheimer’s on Friday

Windsor’s Don Martel on his second cross-Canada Alzheimer’s fundraiser, beginning in far north, heading for Point Pelee
20180802-Don Martel cycling for Alzheimer's photo supplied
Windsor’s Don Martel is currently on his second cross-Canada bicycle trip, a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s, and is expecting to pass through Sault Ste. Marie Friday Aug. 3, 2018. Photo supplied by Don Martel

In 2015, Don Martel, a Windsor-based professional photographer who has taught at workshops all over the world, bicycled west to east, from Vancouver to Halifax, to raise awareness and donations in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Now, Martel is bicycling across Canada in his second Alzheimer’s fundraiser, this time from north to south, beginning a 7,000 km journey June 4 at the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, heading to Point Pelee National Park in southern Ontario.

Martel raised $18,000 on his first trip, those funds divided up by Alzheimer’s groups across the provinces.

This time, Martel is aiming to raise $50,000, specifically for the Alzheimer Society of Windsor and Essex County.

“It’s for my home county but Alzheimer’s is everywhere. I’m up to about $20,000 and I’ve got some big hitters coming at the end. I think I’ll hit 50,000,” Martel said while speaking to SooToday by phone from Batchawana Bay Thursday afternoon.

He expects to be in the Sault Friday to meet with the local Alzheimer Society of Canada branch.

On his previous trip, Martel visited Velorution as he passed through the Sault.

Referring to his current trip, he recalled thinking ‘hey, I’ve been west to east, I’ll go north to south.’”

“Nobody has done both (on a bicycle), ever,” Martel said.

Heading out on the first 200 km of the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Martel recalled, “was not so bad.”

“Then it went into mountains and it’s all gravel road. 500 km of gravel road, there was one town and one hotel in 500 km. It was survival at its best. It was incredible, the hardest thing I ever did.”

Martel is travelling alone, sleeping in a tent most nights, though he said he anticipates having accommodations in Thessalon.

Martel said he expects to reach Point Pelee National Park Aug. 18.

“I’m not that far off, I’m really close,” said Martel, who’s pedalling at least 100 km a day.

“This means a whole bunch of things to me. Number one is I’ve seen every inch of this country, it’s spectacular.”

“And, a lot of people say ‘I don’t know how you can do this, I can’t ride my bike around the block.’ That was me, honestly, before 2015. But getting out of your comfort zone, doing something you’ve never done, is amazing.”

“This is a very tough ride, but in comparison to someone who’s taking care of an Alzheimer’s patient, this is a walk in the park. I’m cycling down the road, but an Alzheimer’s caregiver is stuck, unless they have some kind of support and usually there is, but it’s still not a nice thing, so I am blessed to be able to do this.”

Martel told us of the chain of events which led to his first bicycle trip/fundraiser.

“I was in Temagami doing a photography workshop, I was going to the grocery store and I saw a young couple cycling across Canada for Alzheimer’s. I said ‘why don’t you come back to my cottage, there’s a hot shower, lots of food and a comfortable bed?’ They took me up on the offer and I said to him ‘if I ever decide to cycle across the country would you build me a bike?’ because he ran a bike shop. Two years later I was their wedding photographer and they gave me a bike. In the meantime my girlfriend’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and I thought ‘this is meant to be’ so I went from west to east.”

“That’s how it all happened. I was not a cyclist. I am now,” Martel chuckled.

During his west to east bicycle trek, Martel was expecting to compile a coffee table book full of photographic images he captured along the way, but instead wrote a book entitled Loaves and Fishes, a series of true short stories drawn from experiences he had on that first cross-Canada journey.

“I dedicated the book to my girlfriend’s mother, who had Alzheimer’s, and I copyrighted it on my birthday, May 21, 2017, and that was the day she passed away,” Martel said.

“I’m just thrilled to be able to do this.”

Anyone wishing to donate to Martel’s fundraiser may do so online by visiting his website

More information on Martel’s north-south, cross-Canada Alzheimer’s fundraiser can be found on his Facebook page.


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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