Every year since 2007, CGI members in Montréal, Canada have participated in the 24h Roller Montréal— a rollerblading relay race that raises funds for Sports Québec, whose mission is to partner with government and other organizations to advance sports in Québec. The money raised from 24h Roller Montréal is used by Sports Québec specifically to support financially disadvantaged athletic programs across the province.
The relay race is held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, a Grand Prix Formula 1 race track, and involves teams of rollerbladers who take turns skating around the track for 24 hours.
Interest among CGI professionals has grown so much that CGI now fields two teams for the event: one for recreation and one for competition. The teams are recruited well in advance of the race, and while skill levels vary with some team members having never rollerbladed before, many participants train for several months to prepare.
“What makes the event really special is the team spirit we develop in training for the event and the bond we develop during the event itself,” said CGI Consultant David Gravel, who served as CGI’s team captain for the 2014 race.
“Spending 24 hours together for a common purpose, working hard and pushing our limits is, to me, a perfect example of CGI’s values. We also get to raise money for a great cause that gives people opportunities that they might not have had otherwise to participate in and benefit from sports.”
