The i98fm Illawarra Convoy may be cancelled but nine cyclists are still planning to raise funds to help local families by riding 300 kilometres from The Entrance to the Dandaloo Hotel this weekend.
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Starting at 6am on Saturday the riders will stop overnight at Bella Vista before finishing their journey on Sunday afternoon.
But there won't be a big welcome home event as there has been the last two years.
This year's Cycle 300 organised by the Dandaloo Team is a COVID Safe fundraising activity with all proceeds going to the Illawarra Community Foundation.
Convoy founder Marty Haynes said the fact Team Dandaloo was still raising money for the foundation despite their being no actual Convoy this year was "fantastic".
Cycle 300 co-organiser Bianca Starcic said $30,000 had already been raised before the nine riders and six support crew left Dandaloo Hotel on Friday morning for transport to the starting point on the Central Coast.
The highest fundraiser at that time was the Sheree Mason who had already collected $13,000 and set a high bar for the eight male riders to reach.
"She is the highest fundraising we have ever had," Ms Starcic said.
Ms Mason is a preschool teacher who runs her own business with two pre-schools, Seaview at Blackbutt and Curious Kids at Flinders.
She had never ridden a bike when she got behind a dad from one of the pre-schools last year who did the 1000km ride from Ballina to Dapto.
After completing the Cycle 1000 in 2019 Chris Samanc talked her into taking up cycling and doing the 300km ride this year.
She was aiming to raise $10,000 but has been blown away by the support.
During the inaugural Cycle 1000 in 2018 just over $44,000 was raised and Ms Starcic thinks they will go close to reaching that again.
"People can sponsor them online until Sunday," she said.
In 2019 six cyclists completed 1000kms and eight cyclists rode 300kms to raise $103,202. So the total fundraising after the third year is likely to be close to $200,000.
"We just want to raise as much money as we can," Ms Starcic said.
"And we will be back bigger and better next year".
Illawarra Community Foundation manager Mark Rigby said it was lovely to see people in the community still fundraising and donating because even though COVID-19 had stopped Convoy happening this year the need for help in the community was still there.
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