"Big Bike for Stroke" Honourary Captain, Mayor William F. Bell; Team Captain Councillor Arnie Warner; and Members of Council, along with Town of Richmond Hill staff

Will be riding the 30-seat Big Bike to raise funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario

At Hillcrest Mall (9350 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill) in the east parking lot

On Wednesday, May 17, 2006, riding at 12:30 p.m. (rain or shine)

As the event launch of the 12th Big Bike for Stroke season, Town staff will be peddling from the Hillcrest Mall onto Yonge Street and along 16^th Avenue on a custom built 30-seat bicycle. The team is raising money for heart disease and stroke research, educational programming and resources for the York Region South branch of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. Each person is required to raise a minimum of $50 each to get a seat on the bike. This is the sixth year the Town has taken part in the Big Bike for Stroke, with Town employees raising over $12,000 to date.

This year, the Town team will be also showing their support for the Character Community initiative by wearing Character Community t-shirts. A Character Community celebrates positive personal characteristics and behaviours, encouraging positive attributes among all community members, fosters strong families, safe streets, productive businesses, effective education, positive role models, and the overall health of the community. The Town of Richmond Hill has been a member of the York Region Character Community Council since May 2002, and celebrates this month’s character attribute, “Responsibility.”