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"We Ride to Save Lives" - that's the theme for the annual Ride Across Belize.  It started today in Corozal and we met the riders after the first leg at the Social Security Headquarters in the city.  

Organizer Chandra Nisbet Cansino said that this year it's about raising money for those suffering with kidney disease:…

Chandra Nisbet Cansino - GM, Corporate Customer Relations, SSB
"Today is the 14th annual Ride across Belize. Today is the first stage which is from Corozal to Belize City and that is about a total of about 84 miles. We had about 70 persons sign up at the start which is the bigger signing ups from the beginning.  We arrived about 100 persons in to Belize City today."

"We actually polled our staff again and a large majority of them expressed concern for dialysis patients, I think we hear a lot of those stories and they wanted to see how we can help patients who need dialysis and can't afford it and the easiest way to do that is through the Kidney Association because they have a system established for that and they also do the more important things like prevention and education and so we are supporting the Kidney Association today."

"Every year I guess it is a labor of love, it is an initiative from within the staff of Social Security supported by the board and so all the persons that you see servicing and all the persons you see supporting the ride along the way is the staff of the Social Security Board and it is the effort that the staff wants to make to give back to the community because we serve the community every day and we see the need and the staff is very much into giving back."

Oscar Itch - President, Kidney Association of Belize
"We believe that it will go a long way in assisting Kidney patients suffering from end stage renal failure and also to continue with the education awareness campaign of which we plan to take it around the entire country of Belize so it is a good initiative. We encourage other businesses to also partner with Kidney Association of Belize to do event similar to those."

The Social Security team hope to raise 50,000 for the Kidney Association. There will be a number of other fundraising activities after the ride. All the moneys will be counted and  announced at the end of October. The ride continues tomorrow from Belize city to Cayo.