Four Australian Adventist women have set off on a world-first challenge, riding a quad tandem bicycle across the country to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention.
Louise Ginn, Anna Lindbeck, Sonia Allum and Rachel Beaden departed from Scarborough Beach in Perth on Monday morning (September 1). Over the next six weeks, they will cover more than 4000 kilometres, finishing at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Each day, they expect to ride between 80 and 180 kilometres.
“This is the official first quad tandem bike in Australia,” explained Ms Lindbeck. “We got it second-hand from Canada and put it together just before the start of the ride.”
The initiative, called Ride4Life, aims to raise $A500,000 for Gotcha4Life, an organisation dedicated to building mental fitness, resilience and connection through programs in schools, workplaces and communities. The riders were motivated by staggering statistics: every day, nine Australians take their own lives.
“We want to be part of getting suicide down to zero,” said Ms Ginn. Ms Beaden added, “We don’t know what to expect, which I think is the best part about it.”
Three of the four women are teachers and Avondale University graduates. According to them, their connection to education and young people makes the cause especially meaningful. “Three of us are school teachers. I’ve chatted to kids that are on the brink—they feel that hopeless and they’re 13. So I’m a big believer in what Gotcha4Life do,” Ms Lindbeck explained.
The women also see their journey as an expression of their faith. “Jesus said, ‘I’ve come that they may have life, and have it to the full,’” said Ms Allum. “As Christians, we should be really concerned about that. It should be on our hearts to change the world with the hope we have.”
Donations can be made through this page. Follow their progress on @ride4life_aus.
