Rockwood, Ontario Slides for Sight!
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On February 16th, 2009, the town of Rockwood invited the community out to "Slide for Sight" in support of the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Katie and Bill Vanderyt, whose daughter, Meghan, is affected by blindness, inspired a local resident with a private tubing park to hold a public tubing event and collect donations. The event was featured in The New Tanner.
All donations raised at the event go towards Ride for Sight, Canada’s longest motorcycle fundraiser in support of the FFB.
"We thought this would be a fun and interesting way to bring the community together and raise some money to find cures for eye diseases that cause blindness,” says Katie. “We have supported Ride for Sight for many years and we are always looking for new ways to raise money for such a great event."
Meghan Vanderyt was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease, at the age of 11. Since her diagnosis Meghan and her family have teamed up to raise just over $18,000 in support of the FFB whose sole mandate is to find the treatments and cure for retinitis pigmentosa and related diseases.
In 2007 Meghan was the recipient of Young Fundraiser Award, as the top fundraiser for Central Ontario, having raised $3,155 for Ride for Sight. Since then she has topped that goal each year and has now surpassed an astounding $10,000 for 2009! Since Meghan and her family began fundraising in 2006, they have raised just over $18,000. To view Meghan’s pledge page for Ride for Sight, click here.