Kyle Connor Post-game On Tuesday afternoon, the Team 81 bike tour made a stop in Winnipeg at Assiniboine Park as it rode its way through Manitoba as part of a five-day, 550 kilometre fundraising cycling convoy. A joint initiative of Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor and Amazing Race Canada's Tim Hague, the first annual Team 81 U-Turn PD Ride for Parkinson's, is an endeavour set out to raise funds and awareness in the fight against Parkinson's disease. Hague - who was the inaugural season winner on Amazing Race Canada - also serves as the founder of U-Turn Parkinson's, which is a Winnipeg-based charity set out to improve the lives of people affected by Parkinson's with free courses, information and classes. Beginning on Saturday in Russell, MB., the lengthy ride will conclude on Wednesday across the provincial border at Falcon Lake, ON. Set out on the journey are 11 individuals hoping to promote awareness for the disease while raising funds. Connor, who is just two weeks removed from his wedding to long-time girlfriend Ally Petack, was unable to participate on the journey, as it began the day of teammate Dylan Samberg's wedding (to partner Destiny Schmitz) - to which he and Ally attended. He was the Jets' spokesman for Winnipeg's first-ever Parkinson's Awareness Game last April. The game raised almost $100K, which went towards the Movement Disorder Clinic and U-Turn Parkinson's. The cause is near and dear to Connor's heart, as he saw both his grandfather and father suffer from Parkinson's prior to each of their deaths - with the disease actually taking his grandfather's life. "Make a pledge in honour of my jersey number, 81, whether it's $8.10, or 81 dollars, every contribution will help U-Turn PD support Manitobans living with Parkinson's," Connor asked of Jets fans. On Tuesday, the bike parade made its way through Assiniboine Park for the 'AP Fun Run', where Jets team mascots, representatives and fans met up with the cyclists for a refreshment break and to see the presentation of a cheque for $5K to the Movement Disorder Clinic as funds raised over the past five days. On top of stops in Brandon and Winnipeg for ride alongs, the procession has popped in and out of healthcare facilities along the way, as it continues to raise awareness of Parkinson's disease. A geographical territory known for its progressive spread of Parkinson's, Manitoba currently has roughly 7,000 citizens living with the disease. That number is expected to nearly double over the next 10 years. Over 100,000 Canadians currently suffer from the disease, while 30 new cases are discovered each day, nationally. One way to slow the progression of the disease is through exercise, which Connor and Hague continue to advocate the benefits of exercise. More information can be found at Team81.ca
