Const. Jeff Bartsch is continuing his efforts to promote mental health awareness once again this year and is planning to participate in the Ride to Remember once again.
The Ride to Remember is held before the annual Police and Peace Officers memorial day, which will be held on Sunday, Sept. 24. This year, the Ride to Remember has been made longer, so that participating bicyclists will ride from Prince Albert to Regina.
“I rode approximately 320 kilometres in the 2016 Saskatchewan Police Memorial Ride to Remember in honour of my fallen RCMP friend Derek Pineo, whom I trained with at Depot in 2007, and who lost his life suddenly on duty in 2012,” explained Const. Bartsch. “Speaking with Derek’s wife Natasha, their son Kayleb Pineo wants to ride in the 2017 edition of the Ride To Remember to honour his dad. Kayleb is an avid cyclist also.”
“As a token of mine and my law enforcement colleagues’ appreciation, I would like to bring Derek’s immediate family (wife and children) from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan to partake and end the weekend at the Saskatchewan Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial in honour of Derek’s sacrifices.”
The family lives in Nova Scotia, and bringing them out west would cost a great deal. “I checked the flights and to bring four out from the Halifax area is looking at about $4,000 to $4,500.”
Const. Bartsch has created a GoFundMe page, which can be found at: www.gofundme.com/ridetoremember-derekpineo. Through the GoFundMe page, businesses, organizations and local residents can donate funds to help Const. Bartsch bring the Pineo family to Saskatchewan.
“Just for the purpose of bringing out a young fellow like that who wants to ride for his dad, has warmed my heart and the encouraged the whole police community in Weyburn,” said Bartsch. “So that’s what we’re working towards, and I will do whatever it takes to have that young fella join us this year.”
