Meet Jody Crane.
Jody is a Halifax resident and passionate cyclist. Whether it’s an afternoon bike ride in the valley or cycling a week-long journey along the beautiful landscapes of France, Jody is always looking for his next adventure on his wheels.
Last year, in support of Ride for Cancer, Jody took his love for cycling to a whole other level. The Hawaiian volcano of Mauna Kea is not only the world’s tallest mountain, but is also considered the most extreme cycling climb. “The climb is 68.4 kilometres and goes from sea level to approximately 13,800 feet,” says Jody. “I was on this challenge regardless…why not support a good cause at the same time?”
Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal raises funds to advance cancer care in our region. Since 2015, the Ride community has raised $1.1 million net. “I haven’t been personally affected by cancer, but we all know someone who has been,” explains Jody.
In 2017, Ride for Cancer introduced the “Virtual Ride” option. The Virtual Ride is for anyone who is dedicated to the fight against cancer, but participating solely as a fundraiser. Last year, this was the perfect option for Jody, as his trip to Hawaii overlapped with event day. Not only was Jody our top virtual fundraiser, but was one of the 2017’s top overall fundraiser, raising an incredible $13,255.
“I got creative when it came to my fundraising,” says Jody. “I started with the simple asks within my personal network…friends, family members. But then moved to my business network.” Jody works at Dalhousie University and also owns a small business on the side – Brooklyn Audio Inc. “I started emailing customers I’ve worked with over the years,” he explains. “From there, I emailed distributors I work closely with and also my connections at Dalhousie.”
In addition to reaching out to his network, Jody also had small auctions on donated items, sold chocolate bars, and even used an old deck of cards to his advantage. “I had a deck of cards – if you purchased a card, I ripped it in two and threw one half into a hat,” Jody says. “Once all the cards were purchased, I drew for a 50/50 winner.”
Jody also reached out to different companies he works with. “For example, I advertise my side business with a website company,” says Jody. “I asked when I advertise with them next, if they would give me $150 off my cost and donate that towards Ride for Cancer.” He also made a similar ask to a storage company he rents from. “I asked if I could take my rent and donate it to the event on behalf of the company,” he says.
“It can add up quickly. Felt great to drop my donations off for such a great cause.”
If you want to join our fight against cancer, solely as a fundraiser – register with our Virtual Ride. Every dollar you raise is helping fund cancer care right here at home.
