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  • Bears, Breakdowns and the Kindness of Strangers: Father and Daughter Ride Motorcycle from the Arctic to Argentina – through 14 countries – to Raise Funds for Children’s Health

Wasaga Beach Ontario – January 18, 2019 – “ENDS OF THE EARTH RIDE”

  • Who:
    • Bruce Johnson, Sales Representative at RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach, Inc., Brokerage & daughter Holly (17), a Grade 12 high school student
    • “Miracle” the Motorcycle (2007 BMW R1200 GS)
  • What:
    • Motorcycle for Miracles six-month “Ends of the Earth” 26,500-kilometre fundraising journey from the Arctic village of Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost town in the world
    • Every dollar raised goes to local children’s hospitals’ highest priority needs. To date they’ve raised $291,000 on this journey and over $575,000 during their three journeys combined
    • Go to the “Donate” page to see more information about money raised to date and the fundraising progress. This page is the springboard to donate either to the Alyssa Rae Johnson Fund at SickKids Hospital in Toronto, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) Canada, or CMN USA. Donate online and receive a charitable tax receipt instantly by email.  The links for CMN CANADA and CMN USA are set up to specifically funnel by the donor’s postal or zip code, so that the donation stays with your LOCAL Children’s Miracle Network hospital: https://www.motorcycleformiracles.com/donate/
  • Where:
    • When:
      • Bruce, Holly and Miracle the Motorcycle travelled by plane from Toronto, ON to Inuvik, NT and on August 5th rode north to Tuktoyuktuk, NT, to begin their adventure on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. They travelled for 5 months until they reached Ushuaia, arriving New Year’s Eve, in time to ring in 2019!
  • Why:
      • In 1998, Bruce and his wife Mary lost their first child, Alyssa Rae, after 20 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at SickKids in Toronto, Ontario. They are profoundly grateful for the amazing care she received during her short but impactful life. For more background information please see https://www.motorcycleformiracles.com/alyssa-rae-johnson/
      • Bruce and Mary started the Alyssa Rae Johnson Fund at SickKids just prior to the first Motorcycle for Miracles Ride in 2013. That first ride raised $107,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) and SickKids Hospital. The second journey, in 2016, was across Canada from coast to coast visiting all 14 CMN hospitals, raising $192,000 for CMN and SickKids. On this current journey, the family hopes to meet their fundraising goal of $300,000 and are over 95% of the way to that total as of December 30, 2018.
      • Holly and younger sister Jocelyn have also been patients at SickKids, making the hospital a special place for the whole family
      • Holly also headed up a fundraising event for SickKids at CCI last winter, raising over $12,000 via a holiday concert. She thrives at taking a leadership role but loves to travel and is happy to take a “backseat” on the motorcycle rides
      • Bruce and Mary first met in Inuvik, NT in 1991, when both were on separate journeys: Bruce on a motorcycle and Mary on a canoe trip. They joined forces in 1993 and pedalled bicycles for 34 months from that same Inuvik campground all the way to Ushuaia, Argentina. So this route is one that Bruce has always dreamed of doing by motorcycle. More details available on this background story are contained in a live video announcing the Ends of the Earth Ride.
  • How:
    • In order to meet their $300,000 fundraising goal (the goal was originally $150,000 but was adjusted upward – twice! – due to a flood of donations), the Johnsons created the concept of “Champion Agents” whereby individual RE/MAX agents, brokers and teams donate a minimum of $2000. The Champion Agents are featured on a website with a special profile card. As of today, there are 98 Champion Agents: https://www.motorcycleformiracles.com/ends-of-the-earth-2018/champion-agents/
    • Champion Agents sign the Journey Flag in red. The Journey Flag is another special feature of the Motorcycle for Miracle rides. In past trips, the Flag has been auctioned off at RE/MAX’s R4 Convention in Las Vegas for $30,000 and $30,100 in Whistler, BC at CMN auctions. Here is a live video of Bruce and Holly unveiling the Flag for this ride:
      • https://youtu.be/d6QcwQC4_ec NOTE: The next Big Give live auction takes place at the end of February 2019. The Johnsons are hopeful for a generous buyer of the Journey Flag.
    • As a tribute to Alyssa Rae’s 20th Birthday, Mary Johnson wrote a series of heartwarming posts about Alyssa and SickKids Hospital, and coordinated an online “fundraising flash mob” that raised over $26,000 in one weekend. Those posts can be found via the main menu at www.MotorcycleforMiracles.com and the campaign can be searched on social media via #20for20
  • Photos:
  • For More Information:
  • Further Background Information:

Bruce and Holly rode from Canada to Costa Rica in 2013 (http://www.johnsonjourneys.com/costa-rica-motorcycle-2013/) and they rode across Canada from Newfoundland to BC in 2016 (https://www.motorcycleformiracles.com/cross-canada-journey-2016/champion-agents/)

    • Learn more about the Johnsons’ journey at:

https://www.motorcycleformiracles.com

Thank you for your interest. We are grateful!