Two local youth were recipients of gifts from Cops for Kids when the annual bike ride pulled into Revelstoke Thursday afternoon.
The 10-day ride sees RCMP officers pedal through southern Interior. It started on Friday, Sept. 6, in Osoyoos and passed through Grand Forks, Castlegar, Nelson, and Creston before arriving in Cranbrook yesterday, where the officers put on a charity fashion show.
Today, Sept. 12, they enjoyed a rest day and traveled by bus from Cranbrook to Golden and then onwards to Revelstoke.
In Revelstoke, Const. Seanan Sharp of the Revelstoke RCMP presented gifts to Aleesha Kaler and James Higginson at an event outside Cooper's.
"This is the highlight of the ride – meeting people who we helped and allowing us to help them out," said Sharp.
Kaler, 18, has Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, a very rare neurological disorder that can cause anything from mild weakness to complete paralysis of one or both sides of the body for varying lengths of time.
"She has a very rare disorder. A lot of doctors don't know what it is," her sister Courtney said. "It's been a big struggle to get care for her."
Courtney said Aleesha was a visual learner. To help her, Cops for Kids donated an iPad and a printer.
Higginson, 9, has autism. A shy grade-four student, he received a iMac Pro that will help him as he goes through school.
The 21 riders will be off to Salmon arm next, then Kamloops and Vernon before finishing the ride in Kelowna.