Sid van der Meulen of Ada Realty in Edmonton honoured the liberation of Holland in 1945 by cycling the Elfstedentocht, a 240-km route, on May 24.

“For the first 80 km there was a slight breeze on our back and I made good time, but then our direction changed, the wind picked up and the slight breeze became a very stiff wind for most of the rest of the 160 km,” he says.

“Throughout the day I was encouraged by my wife, sister and friends as well as countless citizens who cheered and roared whenever I waved the Canadian flag. How proud and emotional I was when I draped myself in the Canadian flag for the last 200 meters to collect my last stamp and medal and raise Churchill’s ‘V’ for victory sign.”

The journey raised almost $25,000 for the Youth Emergency Shelter Society and E4C’s School Lunch program.