London will host The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay Celebration
November 25 during the Lighting of the Lights in Victoria Park
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Rick Hansen’s Man In Motion World Tour, the Rick Hansen Foundation launched the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay. The relay will travel through more than 600 communities as it makes its nine-month, 12,000-kilometre journey across Canada.
Each Relay day will conclude with an End of Day Celebration, which will provide the opportunity for communities to come together, recognize local difference makers, raise awareness about accessibility and inspire a new generation to take action. Londoners are encouraged to take part in Victoria Park on Friday, November 25 from 6-7 p.m.
“This is an exciting time in our 25th Anniversary celebration and for Canadians across the country, as we connect the nation and provide the opportunity for people who are making a difference in the lives of others to be recognized for their accomplishments and to share their stories,” said Rick Hansen. “This is the start of a movement for 7,000 Canadians to help inspire the nation and live by the credo that anything is possible.”
As the Relay will connect the country from coast to coast, the symbol that links each participant to the next will be the Rick Hansen Medal, designed and handcrafted in sterling silver by the Royal Canadian Mint. In addition to their participant uniform, designed by Relay Presenting Partner Nike, every Medal-Bearer will receive their own commemorative medal from the Royal Canadian Mint to permanently remember the way in which they personally added to the momentumof the 25th Anniversary Man In Motion World Tour.
Darda Jane Sales will be the final medal bearer for the London celebration. She will have the honour of carrying the Rick Hansen Medal into Victoria Park and onto the stage where she will address the crowd.
Darda is a three-time Paralympian swimmer, 2000 gold medalist in the 4x100 relay and a member of the Canadian National Para Swimming team since 2000. She is also a coach, motivational speaker and the current co-chair of the Accessible Sport Council in London and area.
On November 25, the Relay will enter London through the Lambeth area at approximately 4:30 p.m. Police will escort the Relay in from Longwoods Rd to Southdale Rd onto Wellington Rd through the London Health Sciences campus and back onto Wellington Rd all the way to Victoria Park for approximately 6:30 p.m. Although roads won’t be completely closed, this event will create some traffic delays in the direction of the Relay.
25th Anniversary Relay Fast Facts:
· Began on August 24, 2011 in Cape Spear, Newfoundland and Labrador and concludes in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 22, 2012
· Fully retraces the original Man In Motion cross-Canada tour, spanning 12,000 kilometres
· Will travel through over 600 communities, visit every capital city and all provinces and territories and reach more than 70% of the Canadian population
· Will engage approximately 7,000 participants – difference makers in their own right – who will collectively cover an average of 40 to 80 kilometres a day, making their way across the country passing a singular Rick Hansen Medal to the next participant
