Prairie Thousand fundraiser to pass through Strathmore
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Sgt. Rob Nederlof, a mechanic with the Canadian Armed Forces, is cycling 1,100 kilometers from Edmonton to Regina to raise money for the Wounded Warriors PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Service Dog Program.
As part of his route, he is planning to pass through Strathmore Aug. 13-14 as he completes the Calgary to Brooks leg of his ride.
“Starting on Aug. 11, for the fourth year in a row, Rob is going to be cycling through what is a new route on the prairies for us. Every year, we try to do a different route and we have not done the Edmonton-to-Calgary road yet,” said Marina Nederlof, Rob’s wife. “What we are going to be doing is, giving awareness … to let (people) know that Wounded Warriors Canada is a place for first responders, for veterans, and their families to get help with mental health injuries and issues.”
She explained she and her husband often like and try to spread the word to smaller towns, as many first responders such as firefighters are volunteers who also deserve assistance for any trauma they may experience as a result of their work.
According to publicly available information, Wounded Warriors Canada has contributed over $8 million for the training and pairing of PTSD service dogs to benefit veterans and first responders since 2012.
The average cost to train and pair a service dog is approximately $15,000 and is a process which takes an average of two years to complete.
“Thanks to COVID-19, we were kind of going a little stir crazy in our house not being able to do anything, so in the summer of 2020, my husband was extremely bored, (so he suggested) going for a ride to a town 130 kilometers away,” said Nederlof.
“Along the way, a person stopped and asked what we were raising money for, and we said we were just cycling … as he was doing some more cycling, he (said) ‘we can actually do something … we can raise money.’ Wounded Warriors Canada is the service that aligns best with how we want to help.”
In 2021 during the first Prairie Thousand ride, Rob Nederlof rode from Wawanesa to Lethbridge, with a goal to raise $5,000. The following year, riding from Edmonton to Minnedosa, the goal was $7,000. Last year, riding from Saskatoon to Kenora, the goal was $10,000.
To date, the team has reported they have raised $91,243.42, and are aiming through this year’s ride to breach the $100,000 mark.
“We are remaining conservative, we do not ever put expectations … we are extremely grateful for the incredible support we have had – the prairie provinces are amazing when it comes to their generosity and supporting people,” said Nederlof.
For those who are interested in getting in touch, getting involved, or supporting the initiative, more information, as well as a donation link are available online (www.prairiethousand.com).