Ride for Sight lost a very special member of their family this past week – Mary Lou Harding lost her battle with cancer on September 27th, 2012.
For over 30 years, Mary Lou and her husband Harold have been fixtures at the Central Ontario Ride for Sight, and she was truly considered family. Her kindness, generousity and wonderful sense of humour are what most will remember. She was never without a smile or a great story to share, and she cared about everyone. No matter if you were a passing aquaintance, or a long-time friend, Mary Lou never let you get by her without a big smile or a kind word.
One of Mary Lou’s and Harold’s proudest Ride for Sight moments was when they received the Ontario Volunteer Service Award in 2011, in recognition of over 25 years of continuous service to Ride for Sight and The Foundation Fighting Blindness. Volunteering with Ride for Sight was a year-round committment for the pair. Over the years, they have worked tirelessly – always willing to go that extra distance for the cause, and to reach out to people to encourage participation and fundraising.
While it was not easy the last few years, Mary Lou was not going to miss Ride for Sight weekend – no matter how tough it got for her. She continued to attend, despite her declining health, as she was not about to let cancer get the upper-hand and keep her away. Nor would she miss out on all of the wonderful friendships that she had made there.
From all of us at Inside Motorcycles, our deepest sympathies go out to Mary Lou’s family and friends.
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