Prince Albert’s Ride for Refuge Breaks Fundraising Records

The fourth annual Ride for Refuge, held on Saturday in Prince Albert, has set a new benchmark for fundraising, surpassing previous years’ achievements. This event, which is a family-friendly cycling and walking fundraiser, partners with charities dedicated to aiding individuals seeking refuge from danger, abuse, and hardship.

Participants had several options for involvement, including walking distances of 2.5 km or 5 km and biking on 10 km or 20 km loops. Many chose to cycle the full 22.6 km Rotary Trail that encircles the city. According to Jeannette Eddolls, an event organizer and board member of Catholic Family Services (CFS), the event successfully exceeded its fundraising goal of $51,000 prior to the event, marking a first for Prince Albert.

Eddolls reflected on the growth of the event, stating, “The first one in 2022, our goal was around $30,000, and we didn’t quite make that. The next year we made it into the 40s, and [Malcolm Jenkins] said, ‘Shoot for the big one, we’re going to $51,000.’”

This year, the fundraiser utilized a peer-to-peer model, allowing participants to become Team Captains and register teams online. In total, 17 teams in Prince Albert raised an impressive $52,292.99 by event day, with additional donations accepted until the deadline on October 30. Eddolls noted that Jenkins pledged to match the totals of the top three teams, which collectively raised $24,270.99.

“Last I looked, it was very close to $25,000, and I told that to him, I said, ‘I don’t know if we’re quite there,’ and he said, ‘It’s close enough,’” Eddolls added. In previous years, Jenkins donated $25,000 overall, a figure that increased from $15,000 the year before.

Community support was evident, as the 2025 edition of Ride for Refuge attracted a record number of local sponsors. Prince Albert ranked fourth on the national leaderboard for funds raised, trailing behind Richmond, B.C. (raising $124,893.49), Vancouver, B.C. ($84,659.88), and Kitchener, Ont. ($80,066.32). Notably, Saskatoon was the only other Saskatchewan community in the top ten, securing the ninth position with $37,518.10 raised across its 17 teams.

Eddolls expressed her astonishment at the results, stating, “When I look at the screen, the top 20 teams are from the bigger centers. And here, a city of 40,000 people, we’re doing better than them, and they’ve got industry behind them and stuff like that, and we don’t have that.”

In total, the 2023 Ride for Refuge raised $1,256,398 for charities across Canada, contributing to the continued success of this vital initiative. Last year’s event also exceeded the $1.2 million mark nationwide.

For further information on the Ride for Refuge in Prince Albert and the work of Catholic Family Services, additional resources are available online.