YORKTON — A convoy of 129 riders and five canine companions rolled into Yorkton this week as the Rolling Barrage made its fifth stop in the city since 2021 while celebrating the organization's 10th anniversary cross-country ride in support of PTSD awareness and treatment.
Participants are travelling across Canada to raise awareness and funds for military members, veterans, first responders and their families affected by post-traumatic stress disorder.
The organization was founded by Scott Casey, who said the idea grew out of a charity poker ride he participated in during 2016.
“I thought maybe I would extend this to an across-Canada ride and raise funds for those dealing with mental health issues,” Casey said.
After spending a year organizing the event, six riders set out on the inaugural journey in 2017, travelling from St. John's, N.L., to Vancouver Island.
“Partway through people were saying to me, ‘I guess we'll see you next year,’” Casey recalled. “I was like, ‘Well, I guess I have to do this again.’”
The ride has grown steadily since then, surviving the challenges of the pandemic and attracting participants from a wide range of uniformed services.
Casey said many riders have served in multiple roles throughout their careers, making it difficult to separate veterans from first responders.
“We have a really good cross-section of all uniform services,” he said.
For Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 77 president Brittany Johnson, the growth of the event has been especially noticeable in Yorkton.
“This is our fifth time hosting them in Yorkton, and it's grown ever since 2021 when they first stopped here for lunch,” Johnson said.
“When they first stopped here in 2021, there were maybe 20 riders at most. Today there's at least 100 bikes. It's absolutely incredible to see the turnout for their 10th anniversary.”
Johnson said the ride's focus on PTSD awareness aligns closely with the Legion's commitment to veterans and their families.
“It fits right in with our goals and our mission statement, and we are happy to support them in any way that we can as the years go on,” she said.
The ride continues to receive support from police agencies across Saskatchewan. RCMP Sgt. J.P. Martin said members of the Saskatchewan RCMP motor unit, Regina Police Service and Prince Albert Police Service helped escort riders through the province.
“This is the 10th year for the ride and it happens to be the 10th year for most of our motor officers involved with it as well,” Martin said.
“As the ride grows bigger every year, we have to add a little more support for traffic, but we're also here to support the people that are on the ride.”
Speaking during the Yorkton stop, MP Cathay Wagantall thanked veterans, active military personnel, RCMP officers and first responders for their service and praised the work of the Rolling Barrage.
“The work that is done by the Rolling Barrage is for you,” Wagantall said. “The fact that they are here today again just says how valuable they feel that you are as members of service.”
Casey also recognized the ongoing support of the Yorkton Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Legion, the Yorkton and District Pipe Band and numerous community sponsors who help make the stop possible each year.
Casey said communities like Yorkton have become important stops on the route because of the support riders receive each year.
“We build a rapport and we build trust within the communities that we're in and they support us,” Casey said. “People want to see you come back.”
Among those taking part is Ride Director Jim Gordon, who coordinates routes across the country while also raising money through a personal challenge.
Gordon has pledged to shave his beard if supporters donate $5,000 to the cause. An additional $1,000 would see his moustache removed as well.
For Gordon, the fundraiser is personal.
Gordon first joined the Rolling Barrage in 2018 and said the experience changed his understanding of PTSD. After returning home, he sought professional help and was diagnosed with severe PTSD connected to his military service in 1992.
“My family paid dearly for that,” he said. “It's always the families that pay.”
Today, Gordon encourages others struggling with PTSD to take the difficult first step toward recovery.
“Get help,” he said. “It's the hardest thing you're going to have to ask for, but asking changes life for you. Walking through that door that first day is the hardest thing you will ever do in your life. But once on the other side of that door, the world opens up again.”
