Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation members Mary Jo Arnett and Secretary-Treasurer Joan Vaughan were on hand to accept the $5,000 donation made by Martin’s Bicycle Shop owner Brett Martin March 5.

Hub Staff

Southampton’s Martin’s Bicycle Shop was announced as a Gold level sponsor for the August 19 Gran Fondo. Shop owner Brett Martin donated $5,000 towards the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF) fundraising event and sweetened the pot for participants with an Aluminum Fibre Domane Trek Bike worth $1,500, up for grabs. Any participant who raises $500 will be entered into the draw for the bike. Those who raise $1,000 will have two tickets entered with ticket increments increasing for every additional $500 raised. Martin said the style of bike could change depending on the height of the rider.

It’s fitting for the Southampton shop to be included in the cycling event and Martin himself has already started training as he will be participating in the 70km route of the Gran Fondo, a cycling event in which the avid biker has yet to take part.

“The Gran Fondo is a great event, they’ve been running them, not in this area, but around the world for a long time. The fact that we can get more cycling events here in Southampton, it’s a win win,” said Martin March 5. “The nice thing about [Gran Fondos] is they’re not always geared as a race so they’re really open to riders of all skill level and ages, they can be a lot of fun as well,” he added.

Martin’s Bicycle Shop will be renting out bikes for anyone wanting to take part in the cycling fundraiser in hopes of getting “as many people out on the course as we can.”

A Domane Trek Bike worth $1,500 will be up for grabs with each $500 raised by riders counting for one ticket in the final draw.