September 8/09 12:58 pm - Second BESTFEST, October 3rd at Buckwallow

Posted by Editoress on 09/8/09
 

Many of you in the Ontario MTB world know Jim Best. He races. He built bikes and did repairs at his home shop Best Bike Works. He  was a fixture at many event and could be seen wrenching alongside his trailer. Jim is on the executive comittee of TORBA, an IMBA regional rep  and has done a lot of good work helping with trails. Besides that he's just a great person.

Jim has been having some health problems. They are in fact serious... he has been diagnosed with MS. Many people know about this by now but some don't. It seems that the type of medical assistance that Jim is seeking isn't covered by OHIP (diet advice, naturopathy) therefore there is a heavy financial burden for Jim and his family.

Jim's good friend Gord Wyatt, Jim's bike club - the MAMBO Kings, Buckwallow Cycling Centre, Cycle Solutions and Ecclestone Cycle, Neilsens cycle, are all getting together for a ride to raise funds for Jim's treatments on Saturday October 3rd at Buckwallow. Response has been so strong that it has morphed into what is being affectionately called "BEST FEST". There are rides between 10 and 1, food,  pottery demos, a mountainbike photo exhibit,  an Easter Egg hunt and a draw for a bicycle (see below) and probably more as well. Park entry is $8.

The main part of the fundraising effort is a raffle. Tickets are $5.00 each and if you buy 5 tickets you get a 6th for free. Tickets will be  available at the event.  For more info about the raffle click on the link at the bottom.  Please note that you don't have to be at the event to win but we'd love to see you there to offer Jim as much encouragement as we possibly can. Ticket draw will be done at Buckwallow. You can also make a voluntary donation at Best Fest.

The draw prize is a KHS 29" singlespeed.

The photoexhibit is in two parts for pictures taken of mountainbikers or of places you went to on your mountainbike.
1. A group photo exhibit on Flickr
2. Bring a framed print to Bestfestfest and display it for your peers and your subjects.  We would love to see what you've been doing.


This is our chance to help out someone who has done so much for mountain biking in Ontario. Best Fest isn't affiliated with anything or anyone. Its just friends helping a friend. We hope you can be part of it.

Buckwallow Cycling Centre is located 4km north of Gravenhurst. Turn right from Hwy 11 North (Gravenhurst Parkway) onto Reay Road East near the KOA.

For more info please contact Gord Wyatt at gwwyat@gmail.com and visit www.bestfest.ca