HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-07-26, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018.
Clinton native reaches Huron on cross-country trek
Coming home
Terry Snell recently embarked on a cross -Canada bicycle trip in order to raise both awareness
of and money for research to battle Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia. The
Clinton native was moved to action when his grandmother was diagnosed with dementia and
he knew he needed to do something to help. Snell was given a hero's welcome last week as
he rolled into Clinton. He was greeted by friends, family members and other supporters on his
way through. His journey now continues and he'll end in St. John's Newfoundland, where a
number of his friends will be there waiting for him. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Terry Snell is currently cycling
across Canada to raise both money
and awareness for Alzheimer's
Disease and other forms of dementia
and last week he arrived in his
hometown of Clinton to a hero's
welcome.
Snell declared his intention to
cycle across the country in May to
honour his grandmother, Rita
Dejong, who has recently been
diagnosed with dementia.
Around noon on Thursday, July
19, Snell rolled into Clinton via
Hwy. 8, stopping at the Clinton
Alzheimer Society of Huron County
office with over a dozen friends,
family members and supporters
there to cheer him on.
Once there, he stopped for lunch
and to speak with those congregated
at the centre. He also hoped to spend
some time with his family while in
Huron County before moving on to
Stratford and through the eastern
part of Ontario.
Snell's ride will continue through
Ontario towards St. John's,
Newfoundland, his end point, where
many of his friends will be waiting
for him.
Now a bicycle mechanic who lives
in British Columbia, Snell said that
riding from coast to coast has always
been a dream of his, but one that was
fading from reality as the years went
on and he thought it was becoming
less and less likely that he'd be able
to do it.
However, when he found out that
his grandmother was battling
dementia, he knew that he could
combine his urge to ride across the
country with a cause inspired by his
beloved grandmother.
In an interview in Clinton
with The Citizen, Snell said that
the first two weeks of the ride
were very challenging, making
his way through the mountains of
British Columbia.
And while hills (especially those
associated with mountains) are the
nemesis of every cyclist, Snell said
An emotional reunion
When Clinton native Terry Snell rode into his hometown on his bicycle last week, it was an
emotional day for many, as he had been riding since British Columbia. He planned to spend
several days visiting with family members and friends before hitting the road again on the way
to St. John's, Newfoundland, the final destination of his cross-country ride. (Shawn Loughlin photo
that making his way across the
prairies was more mentally
challenging than the mountains were
physically challenging.
Facing a vicious headwind and the
lack of a changing landscape, Snell
said he found the prairies to be
difficult and was pleased when he
made his way into Ontario.
However, whether it's the
mountains of British Columbia or
the headwinds of the prairies, Snell
said it was in those challenging
times that he most thought about the
people for whom he took on this
ride, like his grandmother.
Snell set a goal of raising $4,000
for Alzheimer's research and he has
already raised three-quarters of that
amount, which isn't counting any of
the cash donations he has taken in
along the way. (Snell said he was
planning on handing those in to the
Clinton office during his stop there.)
He said it's been very inspiring to
make his way along the roads of
Canada and that so many people
have been cheering him on along the
way.
To donate to Snell and
Alzheimer's research, visit his
GoFundMe.com page and search for
"Cross Canada Ride for
Alzheimer's".
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