For the first time in its 10-year history, Ride4Rotary is moving from Unanderra’s velodrome to Marine Drive, joining the Ride Wollongong Festival of Cycling in the city this Sunday.
All funds raised from Ride4Rotary events will go to local charity Southern Youth and Family Services (SYFS).
“There’s a 10km option, a 20km option, a 29km option, which is beautiful, takes you up the coast and back,” says youth support worker Jason Saladino, who works in partnership and activities liaison at SYFS.
“There’s also a loop around the lighthouse, which is 1.8km, which is ideal for kids and families to do.
“Essentially, it's all about inclusivity and just people being involved. It doesn’t matter how quick you ride or how many k’s you do. It’s about getting out in the sunshine and having a go and being engaged in the cause.”
Sunday's forecast looks like rain but unless it’s torrential, bad weather won’t stop Ride4Rotary. “Even if it is raining, it's just going to be a little bit of an inconvenience,” Jason says.
Cycling for charity
Ride4Rotary began long before Wollongong hosted the 2022 UCI Road World Championships and won recognition as Australia’s first UCI Bike City.
“Originally, it was the concept of a couple of local Rotarians, who thought it would be a good idea to hold an annual charity cycling event,” Jason says.
SYFS went from one of several beneficiaries to the sole charity partner and now helps Rotary run the event. This year they’ve joined forces with Ride Wollongong Festival of Cycling, organised by Elite Energy in partnership with others, including Wollongong City Council and Destination Wollongong.
Sunday's cycling festival is a legacy of the 2022 UCI Road World Championships and there will also be food stalls and community stands run by local groups, such as Illawarra Bicycle Users Group (iBUG).
“We've got about 170 riders registered,” Jason says.
“We also have a virtual ride component, which means that if people can't be there on the day or, if they simply prefer, they can ride wherever and whenever they like. We want to make it easy for people to be involved.”
How SYFS helps
SYFS is a local charity that supports disadvantaged youth and their families, including people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
“We get a lot of our funding from the government,” Jason says. “But specifically we run employment, education and training programs, and they are largely unfunded. All of the funds that are raised through events such as this go straight into these programs that focus on employment skills, personal development, training courses, educational support.”
In the past financial year, 60 SYFS clients have completed courses in this program, teaching young people how to compile a resume, prepare for an interview and apply for jobs.
“It's hard enough for young people in good situations with good, stable family lives and positive supports around them to realise what they want to do," Jason says, "let alone people who have experienced family breakdown, have potentially some level of mental health issue, financial breakdown – all types of problems these young people have to face.”
Young people give back
Jason does the Ride4Rotary each year and so do some of SYFS’s young people.
“We've got about eight of our actual clients who actually get involved and register an event and raise money,” he says.
“It gives them a good sense of worth and fulfilment and personal satisfaction to actually be involved.
"In the past, we've had clients that are the highest fundraisers out of the whole thing – they’re giving back to the organisation that supports them.”
As an example, Jason shares the story of a 20-year-old Illawarra resident raised in a family battling domestic violence and poverty – “which is fairly common, unfortunately”, he says.
“She struggled to support herself and suffered poor mental health – to distract herself from the situation at home, she engaged in training programs.”
The girl studied construction, hospitality and floristry, which boosted her confidence, and SYFS helped her apply for safe housing.
“She currently lives in semi-supported independent living as part of our SYFS Foyer program. She's now gained employment with a local business. She's become strong, courageous, and continues to flourish,” Jason says.
How to support SYFS
Want to support SYFS but not sure about riding this Sunday? “You could sponsor someone who is riding or even, through the website, just make a donation to the event itself,” Jason says.
“Some of our young people have registered virtually and instead of actually riding – they don't have bikes, a lot of them – they’re just working with our in-house personal trainer and doing yoga classes, things like that.
“The important thing is that we draw attention to the event.”
Bike rides start at 8am on Sunday, with rides and stalls on until midday. Register online or from 7am at Lang Park.
Road closures for Ride Wollongong
Transport for NSW is advising motorists of road closures along the Wollongong foreshore on Sunday, 18 May as Ride Wollongong takes place.
Closures will be in place from 7am to 11.30am on Endeavour Drive at Cliff Road, and Marine Drive between Cliff Road and Crown Street. Cliff Road will also be closed between Marine Drive and George Hanley Drive from 8.30am to 9am. Diversions will be in place for buses, plan your trip here and for more information, visit Live Traffic NSW.