800 km by bicycle: a film for the 80th Centraide Outaouais campaign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82PSTbNWd6c

Last fall, the three co-presidents of the 80th annual Centraide Outaouais campaign, Gilles Desjardins and his sons Jessy and Kevin, accompanied members of the Centraide Outaouais team on a tour of organizations across the Outaouais region.

In their own way, co-presidents Jessy and Kevin Desjardins wanted to set the tone for the campaign and raise visibility for the fundraising efforts.

“When we started planning visits to several organizations with Centraide, we realized they are spread all across the Outaouais and that the territory is very large,” explains Jessy Desjardins, describing their motivations. “We quickly concluded that we could combine this with one of our passions: cycling.”

The idea then emerged to ride 800 kilometers for the 80th Centraide Outaouais campaign. By doing so, Jessy and Kevin Desjardins made history, covering 811 km by bicycle.

The route was coordinated with the launch events organized in each area: from the Hull sector, to the Pontiac MRC, passing through Maniwaki, Petite Nation, and Basse-Lièvre.

“Community organizations are part of a social fabric where everyone helps and complements one another to create a healthier, more autonomous, and sustainable community. Poverty and social exclusion are very significant challenges,” says Kevin Desjardins.

Beyond the kilometers traveled, images and testimonials were collected, showing the realities and daily work of frontline organizations. A short film was produced to capture this remarkable human adventure that the tour represented. To watch it, visit: centraideoutaouais.com

You can also make a donation online: À go, on Centraide!