Riders prepare to leave the Guru Nanak Darbar Temple on Davis Road Saturday morning for their Bike-A-Thon to Purden Lake. Photo 250News

Prince George, B.C. – Approximately fifteen bicycle riders and their support team headed out from the Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh Temple in Prince George this morning bound for Purden Lake.

The riders are taking part in the 8th annual Bike-A-Thon which is sponsored by the Punjabi Canadian Senior Society in support of the fundraising efforts of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.  The ride culminates with a lunch at Purden Lake.

This year their efforts are going toward the Foundation’s goal of raising $500,000 for the purchase of new ECHO ultrasound machines which will be used for Cardia diagnosis and emergency care at UHNBC.  The foundation’s Esther Prosser says if the target is met they will be able to purchase three or four of the machines, depending on the individual unit price.  So fgar approximately $200,000 has been raised.

The first unit to be purchased is a $200,000 state-of-the-art machine which provides 4-D imaging.  Prosser says the aim is to acquire a couple of portables as well.  Obtaining these machines will allow the hospital to drastically reduce the current 6-month wait time being experienced by about 800 patients.

Since 2010 the Punjabi Canadian Senior Society Bike-A-Thon has raised almost $86,000 to support Spirit of the North projects.  Organizer Gurdeep Powar along with Dr. Satish Mann, T.J. Grewal, Major Haraich and Dr. Balvinder Deol have taken part in every ride.