While the Navy Bike Ride (NBR) is a fun event that brings people together, one of our key goals is to support the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) community in tangible and direct ways.
Fundraising is an important part of each year’s events, as funds raised by NBR participants support three charitable causes dedicated to the well-being of current and former RCN members and their families: the Navalis Foundation, Support Our Troops and Soldier On.
We are very grateful for every person who chooses to fundraise, and we wanted to take moment to celebrate our current top fundraiser, Derek Threinen, who is participating in his sixth Navy Bike Ride this year and is captain of the RCN Canadian Leaders team.
Derek first became aware of Navy Bike Ride after participating in the RCN’s Canadian Leaders at Sea program.
“I’d enjoyed group rides with friends for years, and it just made sense to combine my love of cycling with fundraising for a worthy cause,” he says.
Derek loves signing up for NBR because it gives him motivation to get out and get cycling.
“Training for the NBR is a great incentive for me to shake off those cobwebs every spring – I look forward to tuning up my bike and getting out on the road,” he says. “My RCN Canadian Leaders teammate Tim Welch is also very good at motivating me for those early morning rides – it’s always a great feeling to start a workday or a weekend day at 9 a.m. having already finished a workout in the saddle – and having enjoyed a coffee break somewhere scenic along the route!”
This year, Derek has already raised almost $1,800. His RCN Canadian Leaders team has raised $2,800 and is currently our top fundraising team.
“Our team is made up of members who have participated in the RCN’s Canadian Leaders at Sea program over the years,” explains Derek. “The program brings individuals in leadership roles from all walks of Canadian life together for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience life aboard one of Canada’s ships, gaining a deeper understanding of the Navy’s mission, and then (through their networks of family, friends, colleagues, employees, constituents and others) increasing overall public awareness and understanding of the RCN’s role in their security and prosperity.”
Derek and his team members are spread all over the country, so they train separately for the most part, but he says some of them do have one or two fellow teammates with whom they ride regularly. They also try to get a few team members together for the in-person events across the country.
“Our fundraising is done individually, though as team captain, one of my roles is to encourage our members to make efforts to contribute to the team’s ambitious fundraising goals,” he adds.
Derek says, this year, he is once again directing his fundraising efforts through leveraging his networks of family, friends and colleagues on his social media channels – mainly Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn – and he finds people respond very well to this approach.
“Twice during the month of June, I provide a brief introductory headline and blurb about the NBR, our team, and the worthy charitable causes and beneficiaries of our fundraising, along with a link to my fundraising page that has more in-depth information – this has worked well for me every year,” he says. “I also post a few fun photos each year of my training rides with teammates, which raise awareness about the NBR and our team.”
Fundraising is important to Derek because it is a way for him to give back to the Naval community.
“I’m personally motivated to fundraise through the NBR knowing what important work charities like The Navalis Foundation, Soldier On and Support Our Troops do to help our men and women in uniform and their families, and our veterans, who find themselves in need,” he says. “These are individuals who’ve had our backs through their service, and fundraising through the NBR is a means for me to give back in a small way, and to honour that service.”
Participants have until June 30, 2025, to collect donations, so if you have been thinking about fundraising or donating to a Navy Bike Ride participant, there is still time to make a difference!
To learn more about fundraising with Navy Bike Ride, please visit https://navybikeride.ca/fundraising-2025/.
To donate to Derek Threinen and the RCN Canadian Leaders, please visit https://raceroster.com/events/2025/97198/navy-bike-ride-2025-defivelo-de-la-marine-2025/pledge/participant/35756798.