Music Therapy Ride 2011

The 10th annual Music Therapy Ride takes place September 17, 2011 between Vancouver and Whistler to raise funds for community-based music therapy services throughout British Columbia. Founded by members of the music industry (from artists to label representatives, agents, managers, and promoters) all motorcycle enthusiasts are invited to participate in the event.

Over the last decade, the Music Therapy Ride has raised over $350,000 for Music Therapy programs, a recording studio at the BC Children’s Hospital, and a mobile recording studio (“Band Wagon 1“) to service patients outside of the hospital. These recording studios give clients the ability to record the music created during their therapy sessions and provide a legacy for their family, friends, and community.

You can sign up for the ride if you’re a single or double rider or a four-wheeled vehicle. You can even register at the “Hitch Hiker” level if you’d like to take part but don’t have a vehicle.

We all know that a good tune can make us smile, lift our spirits, and move our souls. Megan McNeil wrote and performed the song in the video above, “Will to Survive” with the assistance of Garth Richardson of the Nimbus School of Recording Arts. The charity single supported childhood cancers and showed how much of an impact music therapy can have. Unfortunately, at the age of 20, Megan lost her 4-year battle with cancer in January of 2011 but her inspiring message and legacy lives on through her music and the causes in which she believed.

This year Nimbus asked me if I would partner with them to not only give away an amazing prize, but to support their cause and the Music Therapy Ride. The prize is an acoustic Yamaha Guitar (value: $300) that has been signed by the one and only Sarah McLachlan (value: priceless).

We decided to setup a silent auction format for this prize so if you would like to win the guitar, and support music therapy in BC, please leave a bid below in the comments. The starting bid is $500 and let’s see how high we can go from there. The prize is rare and valuable to any Sarah McLachlan fan.

Thank you in advance for your support of this cause and the 2011 Music Therapy Ride.