August 9, 2025 - 11AM-1PM - Walton Raceway
Mental Health Awareness & Suicide Prevention
Breaking the Stigma
Community Focused
Ride With Me is a community-driven event and bike ride held at Walton Raceway, proudly organized by Racing for Mental Wellness in collaboration with Walton Raceway and the Tanner Steffler Foundation.
The event features a 20KM police escorted bike ride, a delicious lunch accompanied by an inspiring guest speaker, and a silent auction—all in support of mental health awareness and local initiatives.
All proceeds from the event support two important organizations: the Tanner Steffler Foundation in Huron County and the Canadian Mental Health Association in Oxford County.
Ride With Me 2025
MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY.
Tanner Ward, Founder of Ride With Me
"Ride With Me has been such a learning journey for me. There is a stigma surrounding mental health, specifically in the motocross industry. By bringing awareness to the importance of your mental health, I hope that we can break the stigma and remind each other to check in on one another."
Over the past six years, Ride With Me has raised more than $75,000 to support critical mental health services across our communities. This impact has been made possible only by the generosity of people and organizations who believe that no one should face mental health challenges alone.
This event is about more than physical activity or gathering, it's about creating moments that remind us all that mental health matters. It’s about encouraging open conversations, checking in on one another, and building a future where mental wellness is supported and prioritized in every community.
Ben Fanelli
Ride With Me 2025 Guest Speaker
A former OHL hockey player turned psychotherapist, high-performance coach, and mental health advocate. After surviving a life-threatening head injury at 16 while playing for the Kitchener Rangers, Ben made a remarkable return to the ice and later captained the team. He founded Head Strong to support brain injury awareness and was named the OHL’s Humanitarian of the Year in 2013. Today Ben works as a Registered Psychotherapist and leads workshops focused on resilience, well-being, and personal growth.
Unifor Local 636 Lunch
Based in Woodstock, Ontario, Unifor Local 636 represents over 2,400 workers across 24 workplaces representing all sectors.
Since Ride With Me began, Local 636 has generously funded the event’s commemorative lunch every year, ensuring participants feel supported and connected at the heart of the community gathering.
Walton Raceway
One of Canada’s premier motorsports venues, nestled in Walton, Ontario.
Since the early 1970s, it has hosted the legendary TransCan Grand National Championship—Canada’s largest outdoor motocross event—a highlight of the Canadian Triple Crown Series.
Renowned for its family-centered atmosphere and world-class racing, the facility has also become the longstanding home of Ride With Me.
Walton Raceway has proudly collaborated on this initiative since the beginning, offering the venue, support, and community spirit that make Ride With Me a beacon of hope and connection within the motocross world.
The Tanner Steffler Foundation
A youth-focused mental health and addiction charity serving ages 12–29 (and their caregivers) in Huron–Perth, Ontario. In memory of Tanner Steffler, they provide peer navigation, education, advocacy, and low-barrier services through community partnerships. Since Racing for Mental Wellness launched Ride With Me, TSF has been its official beneficiary—receiving funds and support each year to further their mission of stigma-free care and resilience-building.
Canadian Mental Health Association, Oxford County
Based in Woodstock, Ontario, CMHA Thames Valley’s Oxford County branch delivers accessible, community-focused mental health and addiction services to residents aged 12+. Through walk-in and scheduled counselling, crisis intervention, peer support, supportive housing, and addictions care—including mobile crisis teams and court-support programs—it offers a comprehensive continuum tailored to local needs. The branch is a trusted partner in building resilience, reducing stigma, and enhancing well-being across Oxford County.
MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY.
