A Big Ride to Raise Funds for Suicide Prevention

Kyle Foster | Seagull’s Cycles owner and SpeakUp ReachOut board member

In a world that can often feel increasingly isolated and overwhelming, the importance of community and support cannot be overstated. My journey to joining SpeakUp ReachOut is deeply personal and rooted in both my own experiences and a profound desire to make a difference in the community in which I live.

Several years ago, like far too many of us, I lost a close friend to suicide. The shock and grief that followed were all too familiar; this wasn’t the first time. The myriad of emotions — anger, confusion, helplessness — were overwhelming.

As I struggled to process this loss, my friend’s death became my tragic wake-up call, my call to action. I wanted to start doing something about the suicide problem. I wanted to have conversations that highlighted the urgent need for better support systems, discussions about mental health, addiction recovery, and accessible resources for those in crisis.

This is where Seagull’s THE SEND was born. I had just started my own bicycle repair shop and very much wanted to build it on an ethos of giving back to the community. After the loss of my friend, a fundraiser in the name of suicide prevention only made sense.

My friend liked big, long adventure rides, so that’s the type of ride it would be in his honor. Participants would donate a flat rate on entry and be encouraged to donate an additional amount per mile they completed, with the shop matching the miles-ridden donations. After the ride, there is a party at the shop with music, food, raffle prizes, and good conversation celebrating the loved ones we have lost and strategizing how we can be a stronger, better-connected community going forward. In only three years, THE SEND grew from a dozen riders raising $1,500 to over 50 riders on three routes raising over $10,000.

SpeakUp ReachOut is one of the hardest working, most dedicated, and passionate groups of people I have come across in the nonprofit world or otherwise. The employees and board members truly give it their all and then some to support suicide prevention in our community every day. It is an absolute honor to be able to assist and work alongside them in what they do. The work that SpeakUp ReachOut does inspires me every day to keep on making things better for our community.