48-Hour Ride: Cycling for sick kids with Make-A-Wish

Three Sollio Agriculture employees took part in the 2026 48-Hour Ride in support of Make-A-Wish Canada. Luis-Xavier Lopez, Frédéric Savoie-Venne, and Ziad Malhamé took turns cycling on a closed-circuit track for two days straight, raising more than $2,300 to make wishes come true for children with critical illnesses.

On Saturday evening during the event, four children took the stage with their parents to receive a donation that will help make their wishes come true. This deeply moving moment made it all worthwhile for Sollio Agriculture’s three cyclists.

“This kind of challenge isn’t easy, but when you know that it’s all helping kids in the end, that’s really motivating,” says Frédéric Savoie-Venne. “When you’re a parent and your child is sick, this kind of support helps the whole family.”

A first for Sollio Agriculture

Participation for all of Sollio Cooperative Group and the divisions was coordinated by Olymel. This was the first year that Sollio Agriculture participated, with three of its employees stepping up to the challenge.

Our three cyclists came from very different backgrounds.

The team captain, Luis-Xavier, is the director of financial transactions at Sollio Agriculture and a lifelong cyclist. He even biked to school as a child. Since arriving in Québec, his love of cycling has only grown stronger. He says using cycling to help people was “a perfect fit.”

Frédéric has been working at Sollio Agriculture for the past year as a single ingredients advisor. He’s been involved in cycling for more than a decade. So, it was only natural for him to support sick kids by biking. During the 48-Hour Ride, he cycled for two- to three-hour blocks, covering a total of 180 kilometres.

Ziad Malhamé, operational excellence manager, says he didn’t make any specific preparations for the ride: “I didn’t follow a strict training regimen, but I’m generally active in my daily life.”

It just goes to show what the teammates already know: You don’t have to be an athlete to take part in the 48-Hour Ride. The event is open to seasoned athletes and casual cyclists alike.

“I saw young people, not-so-young people, older adults—and two-wheeler, three-wheeler, even four-wheeler bikes!” Ziad says, laughing. “All you need is the willingness to give your all for a good cause.”

Teamwork in the office, teamwork on the track

The most trying part of the event came overnight from Friday to Saturday, when the cyclists had to ride in colder weather than they had anticipated. “Around 5 a.m., I was having a hard time staying focused on pedalling,” says Luis-Xavier. But he held fast, reminding himself that a team captain must always lead by example.

Ziad says that meeting the children a few hours earlier gave the team the drive to see the challenge through. As the father of two children, ages 9 and 12, he’s visibly touched when talking about them. “Imagine spending a lifetime taking care of these children, loving them, and giving them everything they need. The courage and strength of those parents.”

Working as a team was also a must. “On that track, just like at work, we came together to achieve a common goal,” says Frédéric. “We each gave it everything we had.”

All three plan to participate again next year and hope more Sollio Agriculture colleagues will join them at the starting line. Despite some sore muscles, no one regrets the weekend. Luis-Xavier sums it up nicely: “My legs are very tired, but my heart is full.”

About the 48-Hour Ride

In teams of six, cyclists of all skill levels take turns riding nonstop on a closed circuit for two days straight. The funds they raise are donated to Make-A-Wish Canada. The 2026 event took place from September 18 to 20 at the ICAR complex in Mirabel.