Nine weeks, nearly 7,000 kilometres and 135 riders— CHBA president Eric DenOuden is not going on just any ordinary bike ride. Beginning June 26 in Vancouver, British Columbia DenOuden will kick off his cross-Canada trek to raise awareness and funds to fight poverty with Sea to Sea, a cycling project aimed at finding solutions to end local and global poverty.

“I’m excited to be participating in the 2017 Sea to Sea,” says DenOunden, founder and president of Belleville’s Hilden Homes, a member of the Quinte Home Builders’ Association.

“I feel strongly that living in one of the best countries in the world with all kinds of freedom and opportunity we are responsible to assist others, which is one of the reasons I have decided to ride,” the CHBA president explains.

To participate, DenOuden must raise a minimum of $12,000. Those funds will help effect change in the lives of those living in poverty via Partners Worldwide and World Renew. The ride begins in Vancouver, with stops in Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Sault Ste. Marie, Peterborough, Ottawa and ends in Halifax August 31.

An avid cyclist, DenOuden says the ride will help “provide disaster relief as well as education, advocacy and empowerment to [help] develop self-sufficient communities around the world.”

But this home builder is no stranger to giving back to Canadians and strengthening communities.

CHBA President big on community collaboration

In honour of the provincial association’s 50th anniversary in 2013, DenOuden, then-president of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA), suggested the OHBA and its local associations celebrate by performing 50 good deeds in their communities.

Thanks to the generosity of the 31 OHBA associations as well as builder, developer and renovator members across Ontario, the 50 good deeds goal was far exceeded.

To name just a few who participated in the initiative: the Guelph and District Home Builders’ Association raised nearly $28,000 for the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington through Trees for Tots; the St. Thomas-Elgin Home Builders’ Association partnered with the St. Thomas-Elgin Fire Department to install smoke alarms at no cost to homeowners; and, through a traditional Canadian past-time, the Simcoe County Home Builders’ Association Ice Fishing Tournament raised more than $30,000 for charities in the region.

Find out how other CHBA members are contributing to #CdnBuilt communities by following the hashtag on social media. For other blog stories, visit the Giving Back section of our blog.

Learn more about Eric DenOuden’s trek across Canada, or help fight poverty by clicking here.