Roger has a passion for cycling and was set a challenge by a close friend to ride around Victoria to fulfil his son, Bailey’s, wish which was granted with the help of Make A Wish Australia.
Bailey passed away at the age of eight and never got to make his wish, so dad Roger filled it for him and on his behalf. Something that has never been done before at Make A Wish.
Although Bailey and his wish was at the forefront of Rogers mind and was the sole reason he decided to set up the ride, Roger also had a number of additional reasons to take on the challenge and cycle around much of the state.
He also wanted to raise funds and public awareness for Make A Wish Australia and to promote holiday parks throughout Victoria to the cycling community.
The plan was for Roger and friend Trevor Watchman to ride through the key tourist locations of Victoria, travelling over 1500km in eight days staying at Holiday Parks each night.
Roger set a target to raise $20,000 for Make A Wish Australia.
The ride ended up with 24 riders, which had to be capped, and a ground crew of six.
“It is pretty hard to describe the feeling to be honest but exciting is definitely one,” Roger said.
“To do what we did for sick kids and to fulfil my son’s dream was just indescribable and emotional.
“It was strange, Trevor and I were never going to fundraise, but we thought if we do the ride, why not do it for a charity.
“For me it was always more personal to fulfil Baileys wish but it was also mind blogging the amount of people that wanted to get involved.”
As word got out about the ride, people wanted to help anyway they could. Holiday parks donated cabins to stay in, showers or even put on a meal and it just grew bigger and bigger.
Roger would like to thank all the Holiday Parks and VicParks trade members that assisted him and his crew in any way on their journey.
The ride started on Saturday, March 2 in Bendigo travelling through Ballarat, Halls Gap, Port Fairy, Apollo Bay, Wye River, Anglesea, Geelong, Melbourne, Benalla, Bright, Albury, Tocumwal, Echuca/Moama before finishing back in Bendigo on Sunday, March 10.
During their time in Geelong, a fundraising night was also held by AFL personality and Roger’s long-time friend Billy Brownless.
“I went to school with Bill and he heard about us travelling through Geelong on the ride, so he said he wanted to put on a night for us at his pub ‘The Cremorne Hotel’,” Roger said.
“Matt Keenan also came along and donated goods which was fantastic.
“One of the greatest parts of the night was that my mum had come along on the trip as part of our travelling crew and had made a lemon slice everyone loved.
“So we had a container of the slice and she wrote up the recipe which we auctioned off together and it ended up raising $2000.”
By the end of the ride the team did not raise their $20,000.
They actually raised over $61,000 for Make A Wish Australia, while also promoting holiday parks to the cycling community, but most of all they filled Baileys’ Wish.
In a further incentive Yarrawonga Manufactured Housing is now also supporting Make A Wish Australia and Breast Cancer Network Australia.
“Where the ride has led to and what has happened since the ride is amazing,” Roger said.
“Make a Wish has now come on board and taking it on as its own, with an annual five-day ride from Albury to Melbourne to be known as Bailey’s wish (Murray to Melbourne) to be launched in October.
“I had another pair of legs on that bike with me and to fulfil Baileys wish and raise money for a worthwhile cause was incredible.”
