Nineteen RCMP officers from across the Okanagan have hit the road to embark on a 10-day adventure to raise money for kids in need.

The 23rd annual Cops for Kids bike ride started at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 6 at the Sandman Hotel in Kelowna and on the first day, the riders will make it down to Oliver. 

In total, the ride is 10 days long and riders will cycle nearly 1,000 kilometres. They travel the same route every year.

"This is a fantastic charity event," said Vernon North Okanagan Cpl. Tania Finn. "All the money we raise within the South East District goes back to kids in our community. These help kids with medical expenses, travel down to B.C. Childrens (Hospital), so we're really there to help support the kids when they're in the time crisis."

"The event is amazing, all the money we fundraise goes back to the communities that we ride through so it's really nice to stop, meet some of these families who've been impacted," said Robyn Diddems, who's taking part in the event for the sixth straight year. "It hits close to home as I had to unfortunately take advantage of some of this as well as my son was born." 

This year, the riders, most current and former officers, were able to train more for the annual event as wildfires and smoke didn't interfere like in 2023.

"We're very lucky this year to have fantastic weather and no fires in our immediate area here that impeded any of our riders with their training," said Finn. "Last year was a little tough with all the smoke so this year they were able to get out on the bikes so everyone's feeling really strong to hit the road."

Since Cops for Kids started in 2001, the South East District has raised more than $6.5 million and has helped over 36,000 kids. Yet, they have once again seen an increase in grant requests in the last year.

Kelowna RCMP Supt. Kara Triance spoke on Friday morning and told a story about a friend of her daughter's in Armstrong who was helped in the last year, because of Cops for Kids. The friend, Sullivan, was diagnosed with brain cancer a week before last year's event. He was flown down to B.C. Childrens Hospital in Vancouver when the bike ride started last year and after going through chemotherapy in Vancouver and radiation in Seattle, Sullivan is now cancer-free and back in school. 

"This is why you do what you do," Triance said, looking the this year's riders. "When those days are tough and you're riding up those hills, and you're feeling the challenges you feel throughout this ride, let's think about this little guy and the strength he had throughout the year last year." 

Cops For Kids has many supporting sponsors that help out every year, including Stutters Restoration, who presented a cheque to the cause during a presentation before the riders left.

Delco McEvoy, the Sandman Hotel regional director for the Okanagan added, "it's truly inspiring, your support for kids and kids in need."