The invitation was simple: get moving, enjoy the journey, finish strong, and do something intentional to serve others along the way. We hoped to raise $10,000 and move 10,000kms in 90 days. These past three months have blown us away!
Nineteen people said yes. They walked, ran, cycled, kayaked and more. Across different places and schedules, they brought their energy and determination to one shared purpose. Together, they put 13,500 kilometres in the vault, while the campaign raised $16,353 in support of Ally Global and Cycle 5 to Survive.
What a finish! And what a joyful journey getting there.
Ray’s invitation still stands: consider who you want to be, and let that come to life in what you do.
Live joyfully. Give joyfully. Enjoy the journey, finish strong and make life better for someone along the way. The dream keeps rolling.
P.S. Extra socks were ordered! It’s not too late to get a pair and take a little Joy in Motion along on your next adventure. Click here for this year’s socks!
Joy in Motion 2026: Putting Generosity into Motion
Every year, the Joyful Living Joyful Giving Foundation highlights organizations that remind us what is possible when ordinary people respond to an extraordinary calling. We believe that some of the most powerful movements begin not with large institutions or grand plans, but with individuals who choose to use their gifts, talents, resources, and influence to make a difference in the lives of others.
This year's campaign, Joy in Motion features two initiatives that embody that spirit. Both began with a simple conviction that something needed to be done. Both were founded by people who took the experiences, skills, and opportunities they had been given and transformed them into missions that are now impacting lives around the world. Their stories reflect the values that shaped Ray Olafsen's life—a belief that generosity is active, that joy is found in serving others, and that each of us can create meaningful change.
This summer, the Joyful Living Joyful Giving Board and their families are committing not only financial support but also personal action as part of Joy in Motion. We invite you to join us as we celebrate and support two remarkable initiatives that are putting generosity into motion every single day.
And now, allow us to introduce you to two incredible organizations who are all about moving HOPE forward.
Cycle 5 To Survive + Ally Global
For P.L. and Kristen Meindertsma, that question became the foundation for Cycle 5 to Survive.
What began as a conversation around milestone birthdays grew into an ambitious vision: cycle across five continents in five years while raising $2.5 million for five charities creating opportunity and hope around the world. Rather than simply writing a cheque, they chose to combine their love of cycling, their passion for philanthropy, and their desire to inspire others into a movement that has captured the imagination of friends, family members, colleagues, and supporters across Canada.
Since launching Cycle 5 to Survive, P.L. and Kristen have already cycled thousands of kilometres across North America, South America, and Asia. On June 6, 2026, they embarked on their fourth continental ride, Pamoja Safari – Africa 2026, a journey that will take them more than 6,000 kilometres from Kenya to South Africa while also visiting one of their charity partners in Ethiopia.
What happens when a successful real estate developer and an educator decide they want to use their lives for something bigger than themselves?
Their goal is bold: raise $500,000 annually for five years for five organizations serving communities in the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Nepal, Asia, and Lithuania through the work of Opportunity International, Hope for Korah, Himalayan Life, iDE, and LCC International University.
Perhaps most remarkable is their commitment to stewardship. P.L. and Kristen personally fund all travel and expedition costs and have pledged that 100% of every donated dollar goes directly to the charities they support.
Their journey is a powerful reminder that one couple, fuelled by passion, perseverance, and generosity, can inspire thousands of others to make a difference.
At seventeen years old, Randy Watson attended his first anti-trafficking rally in British Columbia. He could not have known then that the experience would eventually shape the course of his life.
Over the next twenty years, Randy built businesses, led international disaster relief efforts, and organized more than seventy-five volunteer teams serving communities in fourteen countries. Along the way, he witnessed firsthand the realities of exploitation, violence, and vulnerability faced by women and children around the world.
A defining moment came following the devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015. Randy and his team were hosted by a safe home for girls who had been rescued from sex trafficking. The girls gave up their own beds so the visitors would have a place to sleep. Their generosity, resilience, and courage left a lasting impression.
What began as a commitment to support that one organization eventually grew into a broader mission. Randy left the for-profit sector and founded Ally Global Foundation, dedicated to protecting vulnerable children and supporting survivors of trafficking and exploitation.
Today, Ally works alongside trusted local partners in Southeast Asia, and Canada, helping prevent exploitation before it begins while providing protection, restoration, education, safe housing, and long-term support for children and young people who have experienced unimaginable hardship.
What makes Ally unique is its commitment to coming alongside local leaders who are already doing the work. Rather than creating dependency, Ally strengthens communities, equips partners, and helps create sustainable pathways toward freedom, healing, and hope.
For Ray Olafsen, few causes would have resonated more deeply. He believed that generosity should reach those who have the least opportunity and the fewest advocates. Ally's work embodies that conviction by standing with children who otherwise might not have a chance.
Their story reminds us that lasting impact often begins when one person refuses to look away.
The stories of Cycle 5 to Survive and Ally Global remind us that meaningful change rarely begins with extraordinary circumstances. More often, it begins when ordinary people decide to use what they have—their time, talents, resources, influence, and energy—to make a difference.
This summer, Joy in Motion is an invitation to do exactly that.
Whether you choose to walk, run, cycle, swim, hike, paddle, dance, or simply move more intentionally, we invite you to put your generosity into motion alongside us. Will you join us by committing to both move and give—celebrating the connection between joyful living and joyful giving.
As you learn more about these two inspiring initiatives, we hope their stories encourage you to take your own next step. After all, every movement begins when someone decides to get going.
Move with purpose. Give with joy. Change lives.
That's what Joy in Motion is all about.
