Thornhill – Today, 50 employees from the Roy Foss Automotive Group will embark on an 800 km bike ride through Montreal, Ottawa and the Toronto area in support of youth mental health. The Roy Foss riders began their journey 10 months ago when the company challenged them — many of whom had no previous cycling experience — to dare greatly and take on what they are now calling the Tour de Foss, taking place June 9-11.
“It is inspiring to see how this ride has helped transform the lives of our employees. Not only has hard work brought us closer as a team, it has improved morale and inspired us to face challenges once felt insurmountable,” said James Foss Ricci, General Manager at Roy Foss.
“We’ve learned how important physical and mental health are to improving our wellbeing, and we want to apply what we’ve learned, to raise money in support of youth mental health.”
The Toronto-area company is donating 100 percent of proceeds to the Canadian Mental Health Association, York and South Simcoe’s Mobile York and South Simcoe (MOBYSS) program. MOBYSS is Ontario’s only clinic on wheels for young people between the ages of 12 and 25. It brings service directly to high schools, youth shelters, libraries, skate parks and other places where young people gather.
During the ride you can connect with the Tour de Foss, and track its progress on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the #TourDeFoss, and make donations on their website by clicking here. To learn more about the Tour de Foss you can visit their website at foss.ca/tour.
Also, at the following stops, Tour de Foss team members will be available to share their personal stories of triumph and speak to why they chose to take on the ride.
June 9:
1 pm: Tour de Foss arrival at the Musée Stewart , 20 chemin du Tour-de-l’Isle, Montreal, Quebec
June 10:
7 am: Arrival on Parliament Hill, 111 Wellington St., Ottawa, Ontario
June 11:
4 pm: Arrive at Darlington Park, 1600 Darlington Park Rd., Courtice, Ontario
“It is amazing to see businesses like Roy Foss take such an active role in helping to improve their employees’ physical and mental health,” said Rebecca Shields, Chief Executive Officer of CMHA York and South Simcoe. “We’re excited to partner with Roy Foss to help raise money and awareness of our MOBYSS program. With businesses like Roy Foss stepping forward, we as a society are finding ways to eliminate the stigma of mental illness and educate people on the importance of good mental health.”
Fast facts:
- 75 percent of all mental illnesses begins in adolesence and it takes from four to 20 years to seek support.
- If support is sought in the first year, there is an 80 percent recovery rate.
- MOBYSS clinic staff have seen a total of 4,170 young people since the start of the program. On average, that’s service for 230 individuals per month.
About CMHA York and South Simcoe:
The Canadian Mental Health Association, York Region Branch was founded in 1984 and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with mental illnesses. We help people learn how to maintain their mental health, look for and identify the signs of mental illness, and get help and support when they need it. Through several locations across York Region and South Simcoe, we provide a wide range of services to assist individuals with their recovery. Our multi-disciplinary team of professionals are dedicated to assisting people achieve their optimum level of mental health.
About Roy Foss:
Founded in 1962, the Roy Foss Automotive Group is a leading Canadian automotive and real estate holdings company. The company’s dealership operations includes Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac franchises in Thornhill and Woodbridge. The company also manages Foss National Leasing, the largest independent fleet leasing and fleet management company in Canada.
Contact information:
Heather Croft
Director of Philanthropy
Canadian Mental Health Association, York and South Simcoe
T: 289-879-2450
E: hCroft@cmha-yr.on.ca
James Foss Ricci
General Manager
Roy Foss Automotive Group
905-709-7656
E: jricci@royfoss.com