On January 29, U of T student Andreas Kloppenborg plans to cycle non-stop from Kingston to Toronto in a charity effort to sponsor schoolchildren in Haiti. Kloppenborg will attempt to complete the 280 km trek — a route usually completed in three days — in 24 hours. The Canadian winter, which will be Kloppenborg’s biggest obstacle, inspired his cause’s name: Frostbike.
Kloppenborg, who has volunteered in the past helping other charities such as UNICEF, was inspired by the struggles happening in Haiti since its tragic earthquake exactly one year ago. January marks a year since the catastrophic event, and Kloppenborg thinks it is important to remember the devastation and to continue with support for the struggling country.
“I’ve been following the Haitian story closely,” explained Kloppenborg, “and things don’t seem to be getting that much better. I figured that cycling would definitely raise some money, and cycling really long and in the freezing cold would make a lot of money.”
FrostBike is directly affiliated with the Starthrower Foundation, a larger Canadian charity organization based on providing education to Haitian youth. Kloppenborg’s goal is to raise $1,320 dollars, the exact amount needed to fund two students. Starthrower Foundation is a very humble charity with a little school that currently has hundreds of Haitian’s waitlisted to attend.
Kloppenborg chose to partner with Starthrower Foundation in part because of its small size. “A small charity would benefit the most,” said Kloppenborg. “It will mean the most.”
Kloppenborg has always been a cycling enthusiast. He spent the entire summer clocking in miles across bike routes in Europe, but his training for his upcoming venture only hit high gear this winter break. During the holidays, Kloppenborg was cycling over 220 km every week, along with consistent weight training. His training has slowed since the start of term to avoid leg injury.
Balancing training and academics has worked out nicely for Kloppenborg. “This month school is just starting up which is nice in two ways, people are more willing to help when there’s less school work, and it’s easier for me to train.”
During the charity cycling mission, Kloppenborg will not be alone with only snow to keep him company. Two of his friends, Diane Ashbourne and Chris Frankowski, will be riding in a car behind him. The car will be prepared for any emergency, and will be packed with a first aid kit, multiple jackets and socks, cycling shoes, a toolbox, spare wheels, and more.
So far the charity has raised $1,000 dollars and has been receiving support from both students and other charities. Lance Armstrong’s charity, Live Strong, donated wrist bands and other paraphernalia, and is now an official associate of FrostBike. Students from both U of T and Queen’s university have helped support Kloppenborg’s noble cause. Most notably, the UC Lit and U of T UNICEF are hosting a pub night on January 27 at O Grady’s.
To donate or find out more about Frostbike, visit frostbike.ca.
