Gisborne resident Maurice Beinat will be cycling in this year’s 210km United Energy Around the Bay bike ride on October 9, to raise money for the Smith Family.
The charity ride, run by the Bicycle Network, is the biggest in Australia and is back for the first time since 2019.
Mr Beinat will cycle around Port Phillip and said he hopes to be the top fundraiser this year, after being “pipped for third” last time the event ran.
“It’s a hard day in the saddle but it’s worth it,” he said.
He said with the cost of living so high and the number of Australian children living in poverty, it was important to him to help make a difference early on.
“I think it’s a really great thing to be able to do… especially at this point in time when a lot of people are feeling the price rise pressures, a lot of people are struggling,” Mr Beinat said.
The Smith Family works to help young people overcome educational inequality caused by disadvantage, lending a hand with things like books and school uniforms.
This will be Mr Beinat’s third time racing and after having to pull out the first time due to cramps, his advice for first-timers is “not go too hard early in the ride, pay attention to nutrition and drink a lot of water”.
He said it doesn’t take much to make a difference in a child’s life, encouraging donors to get on board ahead of the ride.
“[It could be] the simplest thing – it’s $36 for a reading book pack, to help them with literacy,” he said.
Details: www.aroundthebayfundraising.com.au/fundraisers/mauricebeinat/2022
