One last Great Cycle Challenge for Ingersoll’s Henrietta Mulder

Ingersoll resident Henrietta Mulder has participated in the Great Cycle Challenge over the years to raise money for the SickKids Foundation and support children facing cancer and their families. She will be retiring from the fundraiser after this year. (Henrietta Mulder photo)

Emily Stewart, Echo Correspondent

After 10 years, Henrietta Mulder of Ingersoll will be doing her last Great Cycle Challenge to support children battling cancer and their families.

"Everything has a life span, so it's time to pack it in,” she said.

Mulder aims to raise $15,000 towards the SickKids Foundation as she cycles for 300 kilometres in August. She raised $5,138 of that goal by June 30, the day of the interview with the Echo. During the fundraisers in 2023, 2024, and 2025, Mulder raised $15,000.

There were a few reasons why she decided the 2026 Great Cycle Challenge would be her last, including finding it was the same people and organizations who were donating.

"The support has been really great, but at some point, you just kind of think 'Ehn, you know what? Maybe it's time to not ask,' even though when I say that to them, they'll say 'Oh but we don't mind,’ because they all seem to like what I do and I’ve had great success,” she said.

Her age was also a factor.

"Cycling at this point is not as much fun. Traffic is busier. You get older, and you feel less secure on the road, so that's part of it,” Mulder said. "Honestly, the cycling was never the big part really for me anyways. The fundraising is what matters. That's where you can make a difference."

Mulder began fundraising to support those facing childhood cancer after losing her own daughter Arlene Mulder Papaioannou to colon cancer in 2018. Although her daughter was an adult when she died, Mulder always said she was still her child.

"Everybody is somebody's child,” she said.

Mulder is grateful for the community’s support over the years.

“It's been a great ride, but like I said, everything has a life span, and I know I had said last year it was going to be my last year, and people have commented about that to me like, oh yeah, you said that last year and you'll probably do that again. Well, January rolled around, registration opened up, and I don't know, before I knew it, I was registering again. I've made it very clear that this is my last year."

After she retires from the Great Cycle Challenge, Mulder encourages her supporters to continue donating to other participants part of the Great Cycle Challenge anywhere in Canada.

"Last year, I think we had over 11,000 riders, so there will always be somebody that you can click on their name and make a donation because the need always exists,” she said.

Mulder is also having spin-the-wheel events where donors could win either tickets to the Bulls and Bike Rodeo on July 11 and/or a Southwest Oxford Plus tourism package with vouchers to explore Makkink’s Flower Farm and Clovermead Adventure Farm, as well as take an eco flight tour with the Tillsonburg Airport.

More information can be found online by visiting https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/riders/HenriettaOlthoffMulder.